Brief. Approach. Outcome.

Brief

The client had an under-used hard-standing area and wanted to convert it into a mixed-species, free-flight South American habitat — meeting BIAZA welfare standards and improving visitor dwell time.

Approach

• Site survey, species planning and licensing review against the Secretary of State's Standards.
• Specification for substrate build-up, planted layers, water features and visitor sight-lines.
• Construction oversight, keeper-route design and a phased species introduction plan.

Outcome

• Delivered an outstanding-rated mixed-species exhibit on a previously sterile footprint.
• Estimated visitor dwell time at the exhibit increased materially versus the original space.
• Provided a template the collection now applies to further biome conversions.

Brief

A new tropical mammal building needed a lightweight, light-transmitting roof that would hold humidity, support live planting, and keep heating costs manageable through a UK winter.

Approach

• Specified inflated ETFE cushion roofing with the supplier and structural team.
• Co-ordinated services routing, climate strategy and keeper access from day one.
• Built sequencing plan so animal areas could be commissioned in phases without disruption.

Outcome

• Tropical climate envelope delivered with significantly lower heating load than glass equivalents.
• Roof transmits the daylight spectrum needed for live planting and reptile/amphibian welfare.
• Building handed over on programme and signed off against inspection standards.

Brief

The collection wanted a large free-flight macaw aviary, but ground conditions and adjacent infrastructure ruled out a conventional foundation.

Approach

• Engineered a 'floating' aviary design with careful groundworks suited to the location.
• Specified flight volumes, perching, browse rotation and shelter to meet psittacine welfare needs.
• Wrote the husbandry and conditioning programme for the keeper team.

Outcome

• Aviary delivered without compromising adjacent services or visitor routes.
• Birds settled and entered conditioned free-flight training within the planned window.
• Became a signature visitor moment and an internal case study for future aviary work.

Brief

Existing amphibian enclosures were sterile, maintenance-heavy and offered little behavioural opportunity. The client wanted a step-change in welfare and visitor presentation without expanding the footprint.

Approach

• Designed bioactive vivaria with live planting, drainage layers and clean-up invertebrate crews.
• Specified lighting, misting and seasonal cycling appropriate to each species.
• Trained the keeper team on monitoring, plant care and intervention thresholds.

Outcome

• Daily cleaning workload reduced; keepers redeployed to enrichment and observation.
• Improved natural behaviours observed (cover use, foraging, breeding readiness).
• Exhibits photograph and present far better — supporting marketing and education output.

Brief

Schools wanted more than a day out — an immersive, hands-on programme tied to the curriculum, with measurable learning outcomes.

Approach

• Designed age-banded sessions across animal encounters, conservation and careers.
• Built teacher packs (pre-visit, on-the-day, follow-up) aligned to KS2/KS3 science.
• Trained delivery team on safeguarding, risk assessment and accessible language.

Outcome

• Strong post-visit teacher feedback — pupils retain species and conservation concepts beyond the day.
• Repeat-booking schools across multiple academic years.
• Inspired a number of pupils to pursue zoo-keeping and conservation pathways.