The Bristol Zoo Project Field Station was designed to support the strategy to 2035 for the Zoo, to Create Conservationists, save wildlife, and sustain or future and our environment. At the same time, we wanted to create a fun place to play that was inclusive, accessible and a real draw for the families visiting the new zoo site.
Conservation Zoos play a critical role in engaging communities and providing unique opportunities for people to connect with wildlife, saving threatened species through dedicated international conservation actions and breeding programmes. Bristol Zoo is involved in seven projects globally doing inspiring work.
The range and scale of projects is incredible with the White Clawed Crayfish in the UK, Western Lowland Gorillas in Equatorial Guinea, the Sanje Mangabey in Tanzania, the Negros Bleeding Heart and the Dove Warty pig in Philippines, Blue-eyed Black Lemurs in Madagascar, the Kordofan Giraffe in Cameroon and the Lemur Leaf Frog in Costa Rica. The play development was designed to playfully encourage visitors to immerse themselves in the depth of this work, inspiring all of us to ply out part and become conservationists.
Using the theme of a Field Station to represent the idea, it was created to enable visitors to play the part of the Conservationist and through a range of playful ideas learn about this work. From preparing chilli bombs to stop elephants eating the local’s crops to waving at Blue Eyed Lemurs perched up high, to being immersed in puzzles that explore the Leaf Frogs’ mastery of camouflage.
Conservation Explorers can discover the play trail and bring what is learnt back to the Field Station for research. The concept encourages collaborative and accessible play bringing visitors together in a wider purpose.
The layout of the main play area evolves from the central placement of the feature play tower in the space and the meandering pathway that connects through the area, North to South. The play emanates outwards from this point with connecting walkways, bridges and ground play opportunities. We created a grand reveal as visitors arrive to the play area and see the striking view of the Field Station in the woodland clearing, inviting visitors to explore further. This arrival is made more dramatic by use of planting and potentially mounding (made from the excavated spoil during the play build). The play area is designed to feel like a hidden place that encourages a sense of discovery of something special.
The play design has accessibility in mind throughout and includes talking tubes, games and puzzles, ramps and bridges suitable for wheelchair users or accessible ground level trampolines, the focus here is play and adventure for all.
Collaborative play between all ages and abilities is such an important element of our play design and one we design in from the outset.
For more than 185 years, Bristol Zoological Society has been on the cutting edge of what it means to run a conservation-focused zoo. With this long history, they believe they are better placed than most to define and create a new type of zoo for the 21st century.
The new 136-acre Bristol Zoo Project site, outside of Bristol City Centre gives them a unique opportunity to create a new conservation zoo where visitors and animals are immersed in the natural landscape.
Over the next few years, Bristol Zoological Society will deliver this vision and create an inspiring visitor attraction where eventually 90 percent of species will be both threatened, and part of targeted conservation programmes.