TouchWood Play, the Bristol firm behind ‘purposeful playgrounds’, has created a nature-inspired kids’ immersive experience at an historic UK zoo.
Called The Hangout, the playground at Paignton Zoo caters to a wide age range – from toddlers to older children, including families with special educational needs (SEN). 
The space offers physical challenges, sensory experiences and opportunities for imaginative play while blending seamlessly with the zoo’s natural surroundings.
Bower Ashton-based TouchWood, which was launched in 2002 and has since transformed schools, parks, historic sites and shopping centres – including The Mall at Cribbs Causeway – across the UK and beyond with its playgrounds, has built the scheme at Paignton Zoo from sustainably sourced wood and eco-friendly materials in keeping with the zoo’s sustainable mission.
The project started with a collaborative design workshop with the zoo’s key decision-makers, which ensured that every aspect of the playground met their expectations, aligning TouchWood’s vision with the zoo’s requirements.
TouchWood founder Joe Cooper, who launched the business after university to bridge the gap between urban constructs and the natural world and match his passion for traditional craftsmanship and locally sourced materials, also hosted a traditional woodworking workshop with secondary school students in Paignton. 
Using split chestnut, the students crafted a ladder that has been installed as an access route into one of the playground towers.
Joe said this unique learning experience, called ‘Building for Real’, pictured, had fostered a sense of community involvement in the project.
Other features at the playground include:
- An energetic play area. Featuring a giant timber tangle and platforms, this area encourages adventurous play through climbing and balancing activities.
- A wildwood tower cluster. An inclusive play structure with multiple access routes made for children of different ages and confidence levels.
- Sensory play elements. Incorporating tactile materials like pea gravel, chutes, pulleys and talking tubes, crafted from beautiful timbers, these elements stimulate sensory exploration and creativity.
- Talking tubes. Handcrafted by a local carver, these tubes are integrated into the wildwood towers and made from seasoned oak sourced just 25 miles from the zoo.
- Hand-carved animals. Each animal carving represents a species found at the zoo, adding an educational and thematic touch to the playground equipment.
From its first playground at Hotwells Primary School, TouchWood has been a self-funded enterprise, rooted in the use of local materials and labour, all the while giving back to the communities it serves.
Paignton Zoo, which opened in 1923, spans 80 acres and is home to around 2,000 animals representing nearly 300 species. It also cultivates about 1,600 different plant species.
