March 13 2013

 A £750k overhaul of Edinburgh Zoo’s penguin enclosure has been officially opened to the public by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland following its renovation by construction consultancy Turner & Townsend to designs by Fletcher Joseph Architects.

The largest enclosure of its kind in Europe has been overhauled with the addition of a number of new features including diving boards, waterfalls, crèche pool and a flume whilst minimising disruption to zoo staff, animals and visitors.

Turner & Townsend senior project manager Mark Bruce, said: “The penguins have long been the signature and most prestigious animal within Edinburgh Zoo, featuring celebrity king penguin and Colonel-in-Chief of the Norwegian Royal Guard, Sir Nils Olav, and it has been an immense professional privilege to build on our earlier work with the chimpanzees and be involved in these technically and logistically challenging renovations.

“Alongside these fun features we were also committed to using the very best in enhanced filtration and replenishing systems for the penguin pool and are delighted to reveal that the new pool sets a gold standard, requiring no chemicals or chlorine, and using energy efficient pumps and a 24hour turnover treatment system, providing consistently fresh and clean water capable of filling half an Olympic swimming pool.”

 Edinburgh's penguins are the latest to benefit from a series of upgrades carried out to the Zoo estate, including Cooper Cromar's Budongo Trail for chimps. ACSG's work to remodel the main entrance and a new Grasslands Cafeteria by 442 Design.

Images taken by Emma Lawson.

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