Hattiesburg Zoo Serengeti Springs
Project Type: Waterpark
Location: Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA
Serengeti Springs at Hattiesburg Zoo features playful imagery and bright colors representing Africa’s vibrant safari landscapes. From life-size giraffes to vivid waterslides throughout the Fusion Fortress, incredible photogenic opportunities are everywhere. A lazy river nearby adds a dynamic mix of play and rest for a full day of fun while encompassing a wide range of ages and interests.
Life Floor surfaces nearly 18,000 sq ft (1,672 m²) beneath WhiteWater’s incredible Fusion Fortress that was designed and engineered by Martin Aquatic who acted as the consultant for this unique project. As Authorized Life Floor Designers, Martin Aquatic and WhiteWater collaborated to create visual zones throughout the space with our surfaces. Zoning is a phenomenal way to encourage movement around an amenity while subtly streamlining pathways that lead to stair towers and spray fixtures. Pops of color interspersed throughout also add surfacing play features that can be used in games such as The Floor is Lava or imaginative play that involves hopping from one color to the next.
In a Blooloop interview, Rick Taylor, executive director of the Hattiesburg Convention Commission, said Martin Aquatic recommended that “just like the zoo, these kids would only stay for as long as their parents or guardians could tolerate the heat. Their recommendation was to put the lazy river in as a place for the adults to be from the start, and, while we were doing it, to add a swim-up bar, because if they were more relaxed, they would stay longer, and spend more money.” Ultimately, this expansion was designed to entertain families of all ages with fun opportunities for everyone.
“The design for Serengeti Springs is so much more than its vibrant colors—which are meant to be reminiscent of a sandy shoreline and blue waters. The best decision that the ownership made was to extend the Life Floor much further than directly underneath the Fusion Fortress play structure. With extra surfacing, the entire wet playground is meant to attract the youngest visitors to the water. Babies, toddlers, and their parents can sit at the edge comfortably and interact with smaller play elements at their level, getting accustomed to the larger sprays and splashes that big kids experience on the taller structure. This Life Floor layout is the perfect bridge to engage small children while older members of the family can be close at hand.”
Project Highlights
Facility: Hattiesburg Zoo Serengeti Springs
Location: Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA
Designer and Consultant: Martin Aquatic Design + Engineering
Custom Features and Structure Manufacturer: WhiteWater
Install Date: February 2024
Area: 18,000 sq ft (1,672 m²)
Colors: Submariner, Bluebird, Aqua, Sandstone, Porcelain, Sunshine
Texture: Ripple 2.0
Thickness: 3/8” (10 mm)
Installer: Inside Edge Safety Surfaces
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