In 2016 EDG was engaged to design a 1300-acre zoological destination resort within the tropical interior of Hainan Island, off the coast of China.
While the client’s main goal was to transform their parcels of undeveloped land into an international destination resort, EDG realized the main hurdle to the projects success would lay in its ability to cohesively weave multiple zoological, hotel-stay, and RD&E programs into a seamless mixed-use resort experience under a unifying brand.
Utilizing its history in large-scale urban strategy and zoological resort planning, EDG designed a series of zoo-centered experiences that could draw millions of annual visitors. These included five unique animal encounter parks – The Great Wilderness Plain Safari, The Tropicalia Walking Experience, The Lucky Way Linear Zoo, The Light and Night Safari Adventure, and the Wetlands Zoo. Within each park were 21st century animal habitat facilities that improved the well being of the wild life while simultaneously allowing guests to experience personal interactions with the animals. The final result was a tropical zoo experience completely unique within Asia.
- Category:
- Tourism and Vision Planning, Urban Planning and Strategy, Animal Parks and Attractions
- Start
- 2016
- Finish
- 2017
- Size
- 1310 acres / 530 hectares