Avison Young appointed to design team for new Bristol Zoo

Plans for a world-leading zoo for the south west have taken another step forward as Bristol Zoological Society revealed the team of consultants appointed to create its new vision.

Avison Young has been appointed to provide planning advice as part of the design team and will be leading the proposals through the planning process.

The Society will develop a new world-class Bristol Zoo at its Wild Place Project site on the northern edge of Bristol, which will set the standard for a modern, forward-looking zoo in the 21st century.

The new Bristol Zoo will open in 2024, offering spacious facilities, significant growth in conservation and education work and a ground-breaking, innovative visitor experience.

Avison Young joins Bristol Zoological Society’s award-winning team of architects, designers, engineers and environmental experts chosen to bring the plans to life.

Avison Young will be working alongside lead designers and landscape architects Grant Associates; architects and urban designers Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios; Momentum structural and civil engineers and E3 consulting engineers.

Specialists have also been appointed to provide additional expertise including arboriculturists, Wotton Tree Consultancy; ecology consultant Clarkson and Woods; and transport and sustainability infrastructure consultant, Hydrock.

Jo Davis, managing director Avison Young in Bristol says, “We’re immensely proud to be part of this design team, working to bring Bristol Zoological Society’s impressive vision for its new home at its Wild Place Project site to fruition.

“This will be a transformational project, with strong values of sustainability, biodiversity and conservation at its heart, whilst acting as a shining beacon for visitor and leisure attractions in the South West.

“Bristol Zoo has gathered a team of highly respected experts in their field, we’re honoured to be bringing our planning consultancy advice to the team.”

Francesca Fryer, Director of Transformation at Bristol Zoological Society, said: “The opportunity we have ahead of us, of a new Bristol Zoo, offers the chance to create something truly spectacular at our Wild Place Project site.

“In addition to our existing exhibits, such as the hugely popular Bear Wood, Discover Madagascar and Benoue National Park, we will create immersive new exhibits which will link visitors to our conservation projects around the world, develop new veterinary and education facilities and provide the tools for visitors to become conservationists themselves.

“We look forward to the exciting collaboration process both with our award-winning, multi-disciplinary team of designers, the Society’s in-house experts and the wider Bristol community to create a visitor attraction that will be a beacon of conservation and environmental sustainability, demonstrating and promoting how together we can save wildlife in the way we live our lives.”

The appointments follow the announcement last year that Bristol Zoological Society, which owns and operates Bristol Zoo Gardens and Wild Place Project, intends to sell the Bristol Zoo Gardens site to safeguard the future of Bristol Zoological Society and relocate Bristol Zoo to the Wild Place Project site to create a new world-class Bristol Zoo.

Francesca added: “We are excited to share our ideas with our visitors and supporters, and to hear their feedback and ideas on how to make this a world-class Bristol Zoo for the city and the south west, that we will all be hugely proud of for generations to come.”

Bristol Zoo Gardens in Clifton will remain open to the public until late 2022 and visitors will not see an immediate change while plans are developed further. Wild Place Project will remain open throughout this time, until it becomes the new Bristol Zoo from early 2024.