Hassell’s design for a new panda enclosure at Adelaide zoo is in the throes of construction with the site having been scraped back, footings and retaining walls being excavated and tenders for trade packages including formwork and concrete being finalized with the project team. Materials, such as large natural rocks and established trees, are being sourced sooner rather than later to give them timeto grow before the opening.
The panda enclosure is one of three projects Hassell are working on for the zoo, which also include a new entrance precinct and a new perimetre security strategy, that total $33 million.
The project will enable Australia to home two giant pandas, Wang Wang and Funi, which will arrive on loan from the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda and the China Wildlife Conservation Association in April 2009.
“The development will meet, and hopefully exceed, world standards in the areas of animal welfare and conservation, environmental sustainability and tourism,” Sharon Mackay, senior associate – landscape architecture at Hassell said.
The external exhibits are over 600m2 each and have been designed to include significant planting, cooling water features, mature and new trees and most importantly for the welfare and amusement of the pandas, chilled rocks.
The main holding building and back of house off display areas will accommodate the pandas in a state of the art facility. The building will also accommodate bamboo storage – during their time at Adelaide Zoo, Wang Wang and Funi will chomp their way through 25kgs of bamboo per day.
The first Panda enclosure is set on a rocky hillside, rich in vegetation and designed to provide an expansive habitat centered on a large existing mature fig tree.
The indoor rooms are located to the south of the exhibit, with a covered viewing area that acts as the interpretation node for the exhibit, up close and personal encounters with the pandas in both the outdoor and indoor areas, this multi-purpose space has been designed to be used for events, functions and gatherings for larger school groups or corporate entertaining.
