Global Leaders in Exhibit Design Share Trends in Enrichment Design and Guest Experience
PGAV Destinations’ Director of Zoo & Aquarium Planning and Design Stacey Ludlum and Project Manager Mariusz Bleszynski will be presenting at this year’s Zoo Design Conference, held April 5 – 7 at the University of Wrocław in Poland.
Bringing together hundreds of experts and thought leaders from around the world, the three-day Zoo Design Conference will cover the latest trends and developments in zoo innovation and design. Organized by ZOO Wroclaw, ZooLex, and MCC Consulting LTD, the conference will incorporate numerous topics including animal enrichment, animal welfare, conservation promotion and design, the influence of culture and belief systems on zoos, project management, and energy and waste management. Case studies will explore success stories at Zoo Wroclaw, the Dublin Zoo, Reid Park Zoo, Highland Wildlife Park, Zoo Heidelberg, Erfurt Zoo, Prague Zoo, Chester Zoo, Zoo Zürich, and many more.
On Wednesday, April 5 at 2:10 p.m., Bleszynski will present, “Designing Built-in Animal Enrichments.” His session will review the variety of permanent and rotatable animal enrichment devices used around the world in a variety of zoo scales and settings, and an exploration of new concepts in research and development. Bleszynski will share ideas about how to engage animals’ five senses and their innate curiosity, as well as enrichment items that are either initiated by the keeper or animals within an exhibit habitat. The session will include current durability and maintenance challenges, and focus on the viewing capacity, safety, and functionality of training panels.
On Thursday, April 6 at 10:05 a.m., Ludlum will present, “Trends in Zoo Design: Balancing Wellness and Guest Experience.” Her session will explore zoos’ desire to bring enrichment to the forefront, a catalyst for zoo designers to develop habitats that enrich animals in full view of guests by designing the exhibits differently than traditional “natural” and immersive environments. This shift is occurring to link habitat design and enrichment in a deeper way, with the goal of enhancing guest experience and animal husbandry through creative physical environment design.
Registration for the Zoo Design Conference is open through March 26, 2017 on the conference website.
