Spanning 80 acres, it is home to thousands of animals from hundreds of species, attracting visitors of all ages.
As part of its ongoing commitment to providing engaging and educational experiences, the zoo sought to replace an outdated playground next to one of its food and beverage areas with a new, nature-inspired play space.
The zoo’s primary objective was to create a versatile playground catering to a wide age range, from toddlers to older children. The space would offer physical challenges, sensory experiences and opportunities for imaginative play, all while blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings of the zoo.
We hosted a collaborative design workshop with the zoo’s key decision-makers to kickstart the project. This session aligned our vision with the zoo’s requirements ensuring that every aspect of the playground would meet their expectations.
The new playground boasts a variety of engaging features designed to delight and challenge children of all ages:
Energetic Play Area: Featuring a giant timber tangle and platforms, this area encourages adventurous play through climbing, balancing and parkour activities.
Wildwood Tower Cluster: An inclusive play structure with multiple access routes made for children of different ages and confidence levels.
Sensory Play Elements: We incorporated tactile materials like pea gravel, chutes, pulleys and talking tubes, all crafted from beautiful timbers, these elements stimulate sensory exploration and creativity.
Talking Tubes: Handcrafted by a local carver, these tubes are integrated into the wildwood towers, made from seasoned oak sourced just 25 miles from the zoo.
Hand-carved Animals: Each animal carving represents a species found at the zoo, adding an educational and thematic touch to the playground equipment.
Our “Building for Real” workshop, led by our founder, Joe Cooper, was an integral part of the project. We engaged secondary school product design students in traditional woodworking techniques.
Using split chestnut, the students made a ladder that was later installed as an access route into one of the towers. This not only provided a unique learning experience but also added a sense of community involvement in the project.
The new natural playground has an engaging, educational, and environmentally harmonious play space. Through thoughtful design, local craftsmanship, and community involvement, we have delivered a playground that meets the zoo’s needs and enhances the visitor experience.
We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have about how we work, or offer advice on how best to successfully deliver your project.