Martin Aquatic Design & Engineering, a world-class aquatic firm, has been recognised by Aquatics International with a Dream Designs Award for its unique water park design for the newly opened Serengeti Springs at The Hattiesburg Zoo in Southern Mississippi.
The Serengeti Springs water park is a separate ticketed attraction adjacent to the Hattiesburg Zoo. It continues the African theme of the zoo’s latest expansion, which includes a large giraffe exhibit.
A 436-foot-long Lazy River and a WhiteWater Fusion Fortress slide tower, dubbed the “TreeTop Trek,” are the two anchor components of the conceptual design that Martin Aquatic began in 2021. The play structure features African 3D animal aspects to give the waterpark an immersive feel and to relate it to the animals seen at the zoo. With its six slides and two tipping buckets, the play structure holds 4,800 litres of water overall. Meanwhile, the lazy river is attached to a swim-up bar pool, offering adults a space of their own.
Fun for the whole family
“Working with the leadership of the Hattiesburg Convention Commission, we were proud to deliver a project that suited their needs so perfectly,” says Josh Martin, president & creative director at Martin Aquatic. “They have a major kid-friendly attraction as well as a special amenity for adults to enjoy.”
The WhiteWater structure includes unique themed features that reflect the African motif with native animals and welcoming Swahili terms like “Habari” and “Jambo.” The expansive space also has ground-level spraying toys and nozzles, so even the youngest kids may enjoy getting wet before heading to more thrilling areas to get splashed. Though the zero-depth area was planned with no standing water for safety, a vibrant Life Floor pattern created by Martin Aquatic beneath the structure brings this haven to life with colours that evoke both the sandy shore and blue water.
The landscape design by LandDesign offers shade throughout the park.
The purpose of Serengeti Springs’ construction was to increase tourism and draw visitors from the surrounding area, which lacks a new waterpark attraction of this kind. The zoo itself is also planning to develop further, as Rick Taylor, executive director of the Hattiesburg Convention Commission, explained in conversation with blooloop.
The Martin Aquatic team has won 16 Dream Designs awards for its waterpark, splashpad, and resort pool projects over the years, including the Margaritaville Beach Resort in the Bahamas in 2023.
The company also recently announced that Carnival Cruise Line’s highly-anticipated Celebration Key on Grand Bahama island will be anchored by two freshwater lagoons featuring Martin Aquatic Blue Mar Basins technology.
