Last week the ‘Growing Wild’ project at Melbourne Zoo won the CEFPI Award in the Landscaping / Outdoor Learning Area category. The award citation describes this project as:
“a rich and engaging environment that uses diverse materials, textures and colours of timber, earth, steel, and densely planted vegetation to create a variety of wild spaces and formal settings…changes in scale provide children with different perspectives and encounters with animals and the environment, engaging children’s imagination and their whole bodies.”
Melbourne Zoo’s endorsement of the submission added that the Growing Wild Ground Zone precinct has contributed to a 45% increase in Zoo membership numbers and a 15-18% in formal education programs.
The design team included Jeavons Landscape Architects (Lead consultant & Landscape Architects), Clarke Hopkins Clarke (Architects), Arterial Design (Interpretive Design) and Melbourne Zoo Staff, who were involved with all aspects of the project. Construction was by Lloyd group .
CEFPI (Council of Educational Facility Planners International) is a worldwide organisation sharing knowledge, experiences and best practices in planning, designing and building great learning environments.
