Ouwehands Zoo

Background

On 30 May 2017, Ouwehands Zoo gave visitors their first glimpse of two much-anticipated residents: giant pandas named Xing Ya and Wu Wen. As part of a special partnership between the Dutch and Chinese governments, this pair will spend the next 15 years in the Netherlands. Their custom-built home is located in a stunning new attraction called Pandasia. It offers all the comforts a panda couple might desire, including a veterinary clinic, bamboo storage facility and nursery for when they are ready to expand their family. The complex reflects the pandas’ homeland, with buildings constructed using traditional Chinese methods and colors.

Challenge

Ouwehands Zoo put just as much care and attention into creating a memorable experience for the visitors who are flocking to Pandasia – currently the only place in the Netherlands were you can see giant pandas. Besides the general viewing areas, the complex includes space for business gatherings, an exclusive Chinese restaurant and a gift shop.

During the process of designing this attraction, the zoo wanted to add a unique way for visitors to be entertained and informed during their wait. They envisioned an outdoor video wall, but didn’t have exact specifications. Their most important requirement was finding a partner that could think collaboratively, work well under pressure, and deliver a custom solution – fast, and within budget.

Solution

Businesspoint was exactly the kind of partner they were hoping for. With branches in the Netherlands and Belgium, Businesspoint is a complete business-to-businesses electronics service provider, covering everything from specialized concepts to installation and maintenance. While they had never worked with a zoo before, they had extensive experience working for major names in the Dutch hotel and recreation sectors.

Based on previous experience with the brand, selecting the Philips professional displays for the video wall was the easy part. The challenge came from the outdoor location. Businesspoint came up with a case design that could stand up to ever-changing weather conditions, and found a factory willing to produce it on short notice. Normally, a custom-made, 500-kilogram concrete case like this would take 12 weeks to build. However, in the capable hands of Businesspoint, together with the excellent support of Philips Professional Displays, the entire installation was complete in just six weeks.

Benefits

Using Philips displays, great personal connections and a touch of ingenuity, Businesspoint was able to quickly deliver a oneof-a-kind, weather-proof video wall for a reasonable price. Ouwehands Zoo is extremely satisfied with the end result. Just a few of the benefits include:

Information and entertainment: The video wall offers a new way to share information with the thousands of visitors waiting to see the stars of Pandasia.

Real-time interaction: Using narrowcasting, the panda’s caretakers can stream presentations and give live updates on Xing Ya and Wu Wen straight from the enclosure. It’s also possible to connect directly to researchers in China.

Worry-free connectivity: The custom concrete housing protects the video wall from the Dutch weather, while Businesspoint handles all the ongoing maintenance.

A view to the future: This video wall gives the zoo the chance to experience the advantages of integrating the latest technologies into their attractions.

Based on the successful implementation of the video wall at Pandasia, Businesspoint is looking forward to future collaborations with Ouwehands Zoo and helping them find new, forward-thinking ways to interact with their visitors.