Särkänniemi Adventure Park, home to Angry Birds Land, will open a new themed area this summer: Särkänniemi Doghill.
Related: Angry Birds Land at Särkänniemi Adventure Park: Interview with CEO Miikka Seppälä/ Angry Birds Land Coming to Särkänniemi Adventure Park, Finland
Särkänniemi Adventure Park, situated in Tampere, Finland, will open a new Theme Area in summer 2013: Särkänniemi Doghill, based on characters created by Mauri Kunnas, a Finnish writer known all over the world. The new area will be about 1 hectare, and replaces the old Children´s Zoo. The whole ensemble will include the Town of Doghill, Doghill Farm as well as Drakkula’s Castle. In addition, a new stage and a new stable will be built in the area. The animals from the zoo will move to the new area. Särkänniemi Doghill is based on a combination of creativity, entertainment and functionality. For the Särkänniemi Adventure Park, it is the largest investment of the 21st century.
”On a Finnish scale, we’re building a very unique area. All buildings will be nearly life-size, and all visitors will really be stepping into the world of Doghill when they enter this area, ” said Miikka Seppälä, the CEO of Särkänniemi Adventure Park. “The American design agency, BDR Design (who is one of the leading theme park design agencies and already known for their design of Angry Birds Land), is responsible for the design of the area. Every detail in this area will lead our visitors directly into the spectacular fairytale world created by Kunnas”, Seppälä continued.
In the new area, functionality takes centre-stage, even though there won’t be any actual rides. ”We want to offer families the opportunity to create and experience together the world of Doghill, known to many Finnish generations already. This is going to be a world-class object, where the latest know-how of the industry will have been used. We believe that we’ll be having a record number of visitors next summer”, Seppälä said. The area has been designed with all sorts of seasonal activities in mind throughout the year.
It is no surprise to Mauri Kunnas how popular the dog characters are, but he is truly impressed with the work Särkänniemi has put into them. ”It’s important to me that the world of Doghill remains the true to story, even though it is brought into the real world. Co-operation with Särkänniemi has been excellent, and I think that this new area will be an experience for everyone”, Kunnas said. Mauri Kunnas’ books have been translated into 29 languages, and sold over 7 million copies worldwide.
Animals from the Children’s Zoo will also move to Särkänniemi Doghill. A new stable and new, themed animal sheds mean top-quality animal care opportunities, with facilities fitted with the latest technology.
Additional information about how the area is being completed and what it will contain will be available throughout spring on the Doghill-section on the Särkänniemi website, as well as on Särkänniemi’s Facebook page. Särkänniemi’s summer season will start on 27.04.2013.
Tampereen Särkänniemi Oy was founded in Tampere in 1966. Särkänniemi Adventure Park that the company runs consists of six attractions (Dolphinarium, Aquarium, Planetarium, Näsinneula Observation Tower, Children’s Zoo, and Rides). In addition, Sara Hildén Art museum, governed by the City of Tampere, is also located in the area. In summer 2012, the world’s first Angry Birds Land was opened in the area. Särkänniemi Adventure Park has become Finland’s largest and most versatile leisure centre.
More information: www.sarkanniemi.fi
Images: Särkänniemi Adventure Park
