Hoe Fen Wildlife Discovery Area

Category Spacial, Scene & Exhibition Design
Client National Trust
Agency / Designer bwa-design

Brief

bwa was asked to design and create information points for the Hoe Fen Wildlife Discovery Area at the trust’s Anglesey Abbey property. It covers 25 acres and consists of woodland paths, a ‘dream tower’, ‘storytelling circle’, land art, nectar rich plants and a ‘wildlife watch hut’. The National Trust wanted the information points to appeal to explorer families of all ages and aimed to engage with and educate this group, highlighting activities they could undertake in the Wildlife Discovery Area.

Result

The living boards now provide interactive areas which engage with visitors to Anglesey Abbey’s Wildlife Discovery Area and give them an opportunity to share memories with other families. Wildlife, almost immediately started to feed and live within the structure, thus enabled children to take a closer look through the magnifying glass.

Solution

bwa’s solution took the form of two wooden interactive living boards placed at each entrance of the Wildlife Discovery Area. Each living board consisted of several compartments which included a map, storyboard, talking wildlife labels and a chalk board to record findings or sightings. Interactive compartments included ‘memory sticks’ for children to collect ephemera, nectar sponges for butterflies, web catchers for spiders, magnifying glasses and binoculars to look closely at the creatures.