SLIMBRIDGE Wetland centre- visitor attraction

“The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) is a conservation charity that saves wetlands, which are essential for life itself. Wetlands are the primary source of drinking water for people and wildlife. They also connect us with nature, and with ourselves, through beautiful landscapes and inspiring encounters with wildlife.”- Slimbridge wetland centre

Slimbridge Wetland Centre were looking to rejuvenate a neglected area adjacent to the visitors centre to create a more dynamic and engaging visitor attraction. The site is situated between two other feature gardens but also functions as a water retention area within the larger water chain that flows throughout the wetlands centre.

My aims for this site were to work with and embrace the natural environment in order to maintain its functionality within the wider context of the wetland centre and also to create a visually dynamic and interactive visitor attraction.

This design celebrates the seasonal change in the water table throughout the year. The boardwalks ‘float’ above a fluctuating waterscape, periodically flooded and drained to reveal a boulder crossing and mix of mesic planting. It maintains its function as a water retention area and continues to filter and clean water moving through. The boardwalks are surrounded by further mesic planting in a matrix of tall grasses and perennials as well as a small section of woodland. This range of habitats both maintains the existing biodiversity and vastly increases it.

This design represents an ideal opportunity to create a lasting first impression whatever the weather or changing water table.

The style and ethos of this design offers a solution that provides a new and exciting visitor experience, both visually and conceptually, compatible with its neighbouring gardens. It also offers an opportunity to move between areas and links into the existing network of boardwalks.

Once within the space, the visitor is offered a new perspective as you are enveloped by tall, arching grasses and perennials and nature can be experienced in a fresh and immersive way.