This summer saw Bournemouth Oceanarium open their new £1.6m penguin exhibit. This ambitious project is the largest expansion in the centres history and was over 5 years in planning. The build saw the size of the centre increase by over a third with the centrepiece of the new building, a penguin beach enclosure that allows visitors to get up close to the new Humboldt penguins on display.

The designers wanted to allow all visitors to the exhibit to have as clear a view as possible to the penguins on display, in particular the thousands of small children that pass through the centre. Traditionally the walls of such an exhibit were made of a solid material meaning children had to be lifted to the top of the wall to see the display. The solution was to use toughened laminated glass balustrades to line the perimeter, allowing even the smallest visitors to clearly see the penguins on display.

When glazing contractors Beaumont Rose were deciding on the specification of glass, they knew that it had to be strong enough to prevent breakages that could injure visitors or the penguins on display, as well as being able to remain as free as possible from general scratches caused by the 250,000 plus annual visitors allowing for the best possible viewing experience.

ESG were happy to supply 21.5mm clear toughened laminated panels to fit into Beaumont Roses bottom rail fixings, as well as a notched and drilled panel to create a gate for the keepers to enter the enclosure. Scott Sinden, Managing Director of ESG, said ‘We are extremely pleased to have been chosen to supply our glass to yet another animal exhibit, it’s a testament to the quality of our glass and its strength that we are supplying another job where these factors are paramount.

We know the superb workmanship of Beaumount Rose will ensure that glass installation is keeping to the high standards the rest of the project has been finished to’