Wildlife Retreat at Taronga

A wild encounter at Taronga Zoo - construct an environmentally sensitive and sustainable retreat, complimenting the surrounding zoo habitats.

Taronga Conservation Society Australia have recently opened the doors to the impressive $45m Wildlife Retreat nestled amongst the natural landscape of the Taronga Zoo. The Wildlife Retreat offers luxurious accommodation, fine dining facilities along with adventurous and interactive experiences between the animals and guests.

Taronga’s focus on sustainability, land care and social responsibility is demonstrated throughout the entire project. Notably, the project is registered with the Green Building Council of Australia and is striving for a Green Star Design & As Built 5 Star rating. The Wildlife Retreat at Taronga is vying to be the first Green Star rated accommodation facility within a zoo environment.

The retreat comprises of 62 luxury rooms and suites built across five environmentally sensitive lodges. The eco-friendly design extends to the beautifully appointed suites, where the use of natural finishes, earthy tones and natural light filled rooms have created an inviting space for guests to relax and unwind. The expansive floor-to-ceiling windows glazed with KlymetShield® Low E glass, boast stunning views of Sydney Harbour, natural bushland, whilst coming face to face with the wildlife.

A key sustainable feature of the development included the design to reduce heating and cooling requirements. The choice of Low E Glass has played a role in achieving this with KlymetShield® as it helps to improve the overall solar control and thermal insulation performance of the window suites and reduces the reliance on artificial temperature control making the space cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

The central hub of the property is the ‘Nest’, a luxurious guest lounge surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows framing uninterrupted city and harbour views. A central and striking feature of the Nest is the bespoke circular roof skylight structure. A custom designed Insulated Glass Unit (IGU) comprising of 10mm Toughened EnviroTone® Grey,12mm Argon Gas Filled IGU Space and 13.52mm EnviroClear® Toughened Laminate. The makeup of the IGU reduces the level of direct solar heat gain, unwanted solar glare and improves the overall comfort and energy efficiency of the space.

The Result

The Wildlife Retreat at Taronga is a seamless design between building and nature, providing an unforgettable and unique Australian experience for guests to fully immerse themselves within the indigenous culture and wildlife, in an ecologically sustainable manner.  

Project Specifications

Sector: Hospitality & Tourism | Entertainment & Cultural

Application: Exterior Windows | Skylight

Product Mix: Circular Roof IGU
10mm EnviroTone® Grey Toughened
12mm Argon Gas Filled IGU Space
13.52mm EnviroClear® Toughened Laminate

Product Mix: Exterior Spandrel Panels Single Glazed
6mm ColorSmart™ Iron Grey Toughened

Product Mix: Exterior Windows Single Glazed
10.38mm KlymetShield® L Clear
12.38mm KlymetShield® L Clear
13.52mm KlymetShield® L Clear Heat Strengthened