Wild Place, Your Space – Wildlife comes to Leyton, London

These days wildlife sanctuaries are commonplace, which means a garden needs something special in order to draw the crowds. Whilst the central philosophy of WSYP is a good one,  we believe that in order to be successful in its aims it should bring something more to the table. Through a series of interactive installations which take the visitor on a journey through the space, the WSYP garden will seek to educate visitors in an inclusive manner by immersing them in habitats specific to a range of wildlife, delivering facts in an accessible, fun environment. The concept and design aims to offer opportunities for media attention, while involving schools and the wider community in both initial and on-going projects. The main objective of the project is to introduce wildlife habits to audiences who may not have visited such an attraction before.

You can be wild in many ways, so let’s bring something unique and dynamic to the area with which we can create a real buzz.

The Nest: The central ‘roundabout’ of the space from where you can reach all areas. The Nest is an area from which to feed and observe birds as well as a ‘ large area in which small groups can congregate for  education. This area will also provide a platform from which ‘bird hotels’ can be viewed. The ‘bird hotel’ (title to be considered) is the hook of WSYP in attracting not only birds but also visitors who previously would not have visited a wildlife attraction WSYP will liaise with 10 top architects to commission a bird theme, great PR opportunities

Jurassic Bog: The history of etymology, the study of insect, museum like, with sound bite facts, This will place bugs in their historical and environmental places. Get up close and personal with a cockroach, compare a dragonfly from 3000 years ago to one today magnification, exploration and fascination with emphasis on bugs from other countries .

Flutterby, Butterfly Me Beautiful: – Pretty, airy, floaty and flying high we will explore butterfly habitats, what their markings mean, and how their wings are made up. From, how do butterflies see ? A metamorphic experience that plots the lifecycle of butterflies through interaction and personalization.

Bee Amazing: Float like a butterfly sting like a bee as you negotiate the ‘waggle dance’ maze. Bees are excellent communicators, and we communicate by speaking and listening through the speaking pipe, reminiscent of the whispering gallery. Journey through the ‘waggle dance’ maze packed with bee loving plants and resting boxes assert your  hierarchy or stop and sit a while on oak cubes oak topped gabions that line the way, wear the crane lens as you see the flowers as bees see them. Who will be the first to reach the honeycomb hive?

Bug Boulevard: Bugs like crevices some are ordered critters who decide on mass when to nest we help them make that nest via a collection of found items assembled to make to make nooks and crannies, bug boxes, log piles and gabion seats help you wind your way down bug boulevard whilst passing under a giant exoskeleton bug body, much like a dinosaur body.

Wiggle like a worm: Wiggle your way down the worm tunnel, act though the mound and witness via through Perspex walls the worms in action as they compost. Fed from above via trap doors, and harvested from the bottom, the ivy covered tunnel displays worm facts. The tunnel of course is the length of the longest worm on record.

The House: This pulls all the knowledge together to demonstrate how wildlife can be encouraged at home. Sited against the existing electricity building , then front garden takes take on an auditorium like quality allowing for demonstrations, lectures, as well as the opportunity for performances. Grass mounds, concrete sofas, and giant chairs allow visitors to have an auditorium with a difference. The side garden demonstrates in an attractive urban style how London gardens can attract wildlife with a kitchen her garden and various containers and vertical garden maximizing space. The garden shed allows you to pick further literature about wildlife and the project. The grow your own sunburst and geodesic dome greenhouse can become the focus for all thing horticultural and can be used by the C&G students