Immersive rainforest park co-designed by Grant Associates opens in Singapore

Asia’s first adventure-based zoological park - Rainforest Wild Asia - opened to the public on 12 March 2025. Designed to offer an immersive and sensory journey, the 13-hectare wildlife park is a bold new addition to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, a world-leading nature and wildlife destination in Singapore.

Grant Associates was appointed in 2017 by Mandai Wildlife Group, the developer of Singapore’s fifth wildlife park, to co-lead on the landscape vision up to tender, alongside CLR Design. Following the initial design work by Grant Associates and CLR Design, the design and build contract was awarded to contractor China Jingye Engineering Corporation in 2020, who engaged DP Architects and DP Green as part of their consultant team to develop and implement the project.

Working in collaboration with Mandai Wildlife Group, the design team created a wildlife park that invites visitors to immerse themselves in nature. The park features open, naturalistic habitats where animals like the hog deer, Malayan tiger and bearded pig roam freely within, without visible barriers. Visitors can expect chance animal sightings as they explore the park’s thoughtfully designed landscapes, replicating the feeling of an authentic rainforest adventure.

Each guest can choose their level of adventure, which varies in intensity and offers different perspectives of animal habitats along the way. Guests can navigate the different layers of the rainforest, from the forest floor, canopy to the cavern via universally designed elevated walkways for leisurely strolls or forest treks for those seeking a challenging but fun route. For the daring, there are additional options such as harnessed, guided tours which take participants along a via ferrata path to scale karst walls of up to 20m or onto a simulated cave expedition where they can abseil 10-meters down and navigate narrow tunnels in darkness. For a quick adrenaline rush, visitors can take part in other adventure activities and experience the thrill of stepping off a 13m or 20m platform for a freefall experience with a gradual descent.

Over 7,000 trees and shrubs, native to Southeast Asia, were planted to the site, complementing the existing protected tree clusters, enhancing the natural feel of the environment. Focal points and interactive activities are scattered throughout the park to ensure that every guest remains engaged with the exploration theme, with opportunities to gather information and learn about the rainforest ecosystem.

Andrew Grant, founder and director at Grant Associates, says:

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