Exhibit Spotlight: The Treehouse One of the most exciting features of the new Junior Museum & Zoo will undoubtedly be the new state-of-the-art treehouse. The JMZ's Executive Director, John Aikin, and Exhibits Director, Tina Keegan, gave the Friends the inside scoop on all that went into designing this amazing new outdoor feature. Read on to learn more about what will surely become one of the biggest draws for families with children of all ages and abilities. This is the latest installment in our newsletter series with all the latest news about the new Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo!

The Junior Museum & Zoo Treehouse

What inspired the design for the treehouse? The design came from image research, to provide a sense of whimsy to the zoo, and the desire to have it look as if it were homemade. It also had to fit many qualifications and functions, like preventing birds from roosting and pooping on the roof and being large enough to accommodate exploration and play with a sizable chunk of our audience each day.

The Treehouse Design

What were the steps involved from initial drawings to completion? An early goal was to find a way for children to explore animals that live in the trees; we call it “up” (“down and under” were monikers for underground and underwater). The original concept was a canopy-walk, but the treehouse fit within the zoo more easily and it also fit with our “neighborhood” feel.  The attached sketches captured the feeling we wanted but those had to be translated into construction drawings, then shop drawings by the steel fabricator. Finally the carpenters had to take new wood that was beaten with chains and stained to look like old wood, and the net installers rigged the nylon netting to look like Manila rope nets. A tremendous amount of thought went into the design and how it would all come together.

Canopy Walk

What are some of the materials used and how were they sourced?  As in most construction projects, the look and feel can end up radically different from how you plan to construct something due to playground standards, safety standards, building codes, and seismic codes. The boards look old and beaten but are new, distressed wood. The framework is all steel, and in fact the treehouse frame was constructed first and the big tree’s branches were attached onto it after.  The wood is sustainably sourced cedar that has been left to age over time. The net walls, railing, and tubes look like they are made of jute, sisal, or manila rope, but they are actually UV protected nylon, which is much more durable, stronger, and will hold up to moisture and UV light.

The Treehouse and The Big Tree

What are some of the most unique features of the treehouse? This tree house is fully accessible, which is probably the most unique and surprising part about it considering how interactive it is. The net tubes make it a fun destination for adventurous kids because they can climb right out over the zoo onto platforms or to a vertical climber – where you can ascend or descend through a giant hollow tree. Instead of walking a plank, there is a contorted limb where kids can practice their balance as they cross between rooms of the treehouse. There are so many features embedded in the treehouse for kids to explore and discover different aspects of science on their own.

The Big Tree

How has accessibility been considered in the design? Accessibility for people with disabilities is important to the Junior Museum and Zoo. Our Accessibility Advisory Team reviewed preliminary designs of the new JMZ including the treehouse. All of the recommendations were addressed in the final designs. A wheelchair lift between the ground and the canopy level was installed. Hand railings on the stairs were added for both children and adults. We broadened treehouse walkways to provide turning and passing areas for wheelchairs, as well as adding places to park a wheelchair and small “perches” for guests with mobility challenges to rest. At the suggestion of our advisors who are blind or in wheelchairs, we added hooks to hang a cane and a transfer station to enable people to get out of their wheelchairs and climb into the net tubes. There is even an access panel in the vertical climber to assist a person in need. In the rest of the zoo, our signage meets the Smithsonian Museums’ Standards for Accessible Design with the addition of Braille and audio labels. We also have detailed bronze statues of animals for people who are blind or visually impaired and sensory-rich interpretive exhibits. These improvements truly make a better experience for all museum visitors! We can’t wait for you to see and experience the magic of this treehouse for yourselves this fall!

A Bird's Eye View

The JMZ Treehouse was designed and constructed by:  Keith McClintock, Principal, SH/R Studios – Conservation by Design: Zoo and Treehouse Architect Vance Brown Builders: General Contractor A Thru Z: Net tubes, railings, and walls Bambacigno: Treehouse and The Big Tree steel fabrication Nassal Company: The Big Tree branches, theming, painting Rick Slater Construction: Wooden walls, floors, stairs, and seats

Friends of the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo [email protected] | www.friendsjmz.org

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