Animal Enclosures and Aviary Design

A number of factors need to be taken into account when designing animal and bird enclosures. It is a delicate balancing act between safety, animal welfare and viewer experience.

Our architectural mesh and bespoke cable net structures deliver safe and resilient canopy solutions for animal enclosures and aviaries, with an open feel that gives greater visitor experience. When it comes to animal and bird enclosures, it’s important to find the right mix of functionality, architectural design, and aesthetics.

The versatility of the material allows useful flexibility for irregular shape enclosures which guarantees greater security for the animals. The very fine aperture of our mesh also reduces the risk of injury to small birds and other animals / mammal, safeguarding them while also providing a sense of security.

Our zoo enclosures and aviary solutions are designed and engineered to be lightweight and extremely flexible, they can be tensioned in the same manner as a tensile fabric structure to create a rigid form or draped loosely as dictated by individual requirements. This will depend on what the structures are used for or what design suits the site better.

We have years of experience in delivering structures of this kind in Zoo’s and specialist wildlife centres across the UK, which guarantees a comprehensive and efficient design along with a quick, safe, and professional install.

Read more 10 benefits of mesh enclosures for animals >

One of these projects was the Waterscapes Aviary, for Slimbridge WWT. We delivered design, manufacturing and installation solutions for the Living Wetlands Theatre and Waterscape Aviary.

The aviary structure was created using galvanised steel columns and galvanised steel rope, with polyethylene mesh. The entire structure was then flanked by specially designed stainless steel rodent barriers with integrated hotwire to ensure the safety of the birds.

The result was a practical, immersive aviary that allows guests to enjoy an engaging wetland experience. The design of the aviary and theatre also ensured that the birds and other wildlife were comfortable in their new Wetland environment and safe from predators like rodents.

Read more about our work with Slimbridge WWT >

Zoo visitors consider Naturalistic enclosures as any enclosure or Aviary that best satisfies the biological needs of the animals and ensure their welfare. An enclosure where the animals are comfortable, and everything is suited to their needs makes the animals and birds happy which in turn makes the visitors happy.

Similarly, walk-in enclosures or aviaries provide advantages to both the animals and the visitors. It’s more engaging for visitors and the residents of the enclosure or aviary as also happy because they have more space. Using tensile fabric structures can make these types of designs a lot easier as they are versatile and can be tailored to meet the needs of the project.

Find out more about our project management services >