The Darwin Maze

A First Phase

The Darwin Maze was the first phase in regenerating an under used corner of the zoo, into a quality visitor attraction. It has a strong Conservation message, is educational and fun for all the family and brings economic benefits to the Zoo in terms of marketing, merchandising and visitor spend.

The first phase also included a new picnic shelter, overlook terrace and the conversion of a former steadings building into a much needed modern toilet block.

Subsequent phases have included the interpretation centre, a new marmoset house and a physic garden of veterinary medicine.

Design Concept

The tortoise shape maze is on the theme of Evolution. After his voyage to the Galapagos islands, where Darwin noticed different species of tortoises had evolved in response to different environments, he first began to formulate his theory of evolution.

The centerpiece goal, another maze in miniature is an orangutan, and conveys a strong conservation message for survival. In tackling the maze, will you make the right choices and survive to reach the goal, or be doused by the fountains, become extinct and be sent back to start again?

How the maze works

Visitors enter at the head, males to the left, females to the right. The "Abundant offspring" are then thinned down by "Competition" along the 4 routes to the tail. Fountain gates with height sensors representing tallness and shortness, each favour and drop for a certain range of visitors.

The next section, "Natural Selection" involves games of survival including a fountain triggered by the colour of your clothes. If camouflaged against the yew hedge, you escape predators, the righthand fountain drops and you survive to the next section of the maze. If clothing is light, only the left fountain drops and you become extinct and are sent back to the beginning.

Those surviving ascend the stairs to the "Natural Divide" symbolising how single species are sometimes forced to divide. You rejoin your split group at the fence representing how the animals are no longer able to breed.

Finally conditions are right, a new species is formed and visitors ascend the stairs to the raised platform to view the goal and complete the maze.

Alternative entrances / exits are provided from the terrace, and wheelchairs and pushchairs can reach all parts of the maze and the message without having to negotiate the steps.

The Terrace

Clay paviors are laid out in the pattern of a DNA spiral.

Design and Project Management

The design development was a joint cooperation of Zoo staff and Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Ltd (LEEL) funded consultants.

• Concept design - Ann Nevett Landscape Architects with the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
• Project Manager for LEEL and Landscape Architect - Ann Nevett Landscape Architects
• Maze Design, DNA spiral paving and goal - Adrian Fisher, international maze designer.
• The orangutan - Jackie Bishop, conservation artist
• Information board text - Zoo Education Department and other enlisted Evolution experts.
• Graphic design (including - Zoo Graphic Department.)
• Architects (picnic shelter and toilet block) - Smith, Scott, Mullan and Associates
• Engineers - W A Fairhurst and Partners
• Quantity Surveyors - Davis Langdon and Everest

Costs

• LEEL funding as a Training in Environment Project: £154,000
• LEEL funding of the advance sewer contract: £41,000
• The yew plants were advance purchased by LEEL to grow on through their Contract Grow.
• The Zoo raised sponsorship in excess of £30,000 from Marshalls Clay Products, Marley Building Materials, Wimpey Minerals Ltd, Ceramic Tiles Distributors, Scotdem Ltd, Sadolin UK Ltd, J T Dove, Scottish Natural Stones
• Zoo staff carried out electrical and blacksmith

Training and Employment Benefits

Constructed by trainees and students from Edinburgh Zoo, Telford College and Lothian Regional Council In Roads, it provided high quality training opportunity for more than 150 people, many of whom have now moved into full time employment. In addition to the full vocational qualifications audit, some of the more unusual beneficiaries included 2 joiners on the Women in Construction programme and 12 German horticultural students who planted 25% of the hedge maze as part of their practical training.

Facts and figures

At opening the 60m x 32m hedge maze, planted with more than 1600 yew trees was believed to be the largest of its type in Scotland. It contains 642 meters of pathway, 2 bridges, 6 fountain gates, graphic information boards, and a timeline.

Opening

The Darwin Maze was opened in September 1995 by HRH The Princess Royal.

Quotations from the Opening

"The maze is a quality enterprise — it is the product of a brilliant idea and really high quality workmanship and meets both the development and training needs of the Zoo. Its conservation message is very strong and we are sure that our visitors will learn a lot about evolution. But best of all, they'll have a lot of fun!"
      Professor Roger Wheater, Director of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland

"We are delighted to have been involved in this project which will not only bring lasting pleasure to future generations of visitors to the Zoo but has provided a high quality training opportunity for more than 150 people"
      Dr. Des Bonnar, Chief Executive of Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Ltd.

Links

• Edinburgh Zoo
• Adrian Fisher Maze Design