Copenhagen Zoo

It takes courage to replace something that is much loved with something brand new. That’s exactly what happened at Copenhagen Zoo with the traditional playground. The result - a fresh feature that is more popular than ever, and one that doesn’t compete with, but complements, the main attraction, the animals. The new natural playground, comprising organic Robinia, is so popular that opening hours have been extended and revenue, in terms of annual passes and kiosk sales, dramatically increased. Also on the positive side, parents can relax with a coffee whilst always having their happy children in sight.

The whole zoo experience is about learning and development. In the playground with Robinia slides, spinners, kids obstacle course equipment and much more, the focus switches from looking and observing to doing. The kids can get cracking with the wonderful waterplay Robinia Flip runnel with two splash tables. Sand and water are two simple materials that feed the imagination and creativity of children of all ages. The different textures of sand mixed with water play make way for hours of fun and creativity at the sand and water play table.

Imaginations, triggered by the sounds, and smells, of nearby exotic beasts, run wild.

The design is largely an extension of those senses, a natural blend of exciting Robinia wood structures and challenges, mixed in with a hint of reality in the mud-stranded Land Rover.