Adding a touch of the Serengeti to Hamilton Zoo

15 Jun 2022

ROCKCOTE Clay Decor lends a dramatic and on-theme feel to the recently opened visitor centre and cafe at Hamilton Zoo.

Architects Edwards White led the project, and opted for a ROCKCOTE Clay Decor interior with tones of the African Serengeti, a stylish look that suits the zoo as it repositions itself as a major national conservation centre and sustainable resource.

The visitor centre and cafe are part of the larger Shared Entry Precinct development Edwards White are undertaking with Hamilton City Council, to link the Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park with Hamilton Zoo.  A sequence of spaces is proposed that hinge from a connecting spine linking the zoo and Waiwhakareke.

The earthy finished result is extremely dramatic and tactile, enhancing customer experience and making the visitor centre and cafe feel as though they have been hewn from rock.

The Serengeti look was achieved by applying hand-blended smooth and distressed effects with coloured ROCKCOTE Clay Decor plaster.

Clay Plasters are natural materials formulated to create a clay plaster finish for use over modern substrates. They are a softer, rustic and more porous interior surface, which allows buildings to breathe. Many products in the ROCKCOTE artisan interiors collection can be tinted with a wide variety of colours from the Resene Total Colour System, or bespoke colours can be created to match or complement other interior surfaces.

A recently released look book of ROCKCOTE Clay Decor effects can be downloaded from www.reseneconstruction.co.nz.

A combination of hand-blended smooth and distressed effects using ROCKCOTE gives the visitor centre a Serengeti feel, perfect for a zoo building.

The tactile, earthy nature of the ROCKCOTE Clay Decor interior makes it feel very authentic and organic for visitors.

Published: 15 Jun 2022