A Permanent "Hypernatural" Playscape Designed to Inspire Children’s Curiosity for Nature

Global multimedia studio Moment Factory has partnered with Mandai Wildlife Group to bring Curiosity Cove to life—a 4,600-square-meter immersive playscape located at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. Designed for children aged 3 to 12, the new indoor attraction complements the outdoor wildlife parks of the Reserve and offers year-round access, regardless of weather. 

Grasslands – In this immersive zone, mimicking the African savannah, children can step into the role of their favourite animals and experience the challenges of life in the wild.
Photo credit: Curiosity Cove at Mandai Wildlife Reserve, Moment Factory

Curiosity Cove engages children in nature-themed adventures through a multisensory experience that includes climbable spider webs, giant roots, digital marshes, and soundscapes that respond to movement and touch. More than 30 interactive elements guide children across four ecosystems—Forestlands, Grasslands, Drylands, and Wetlands—each scaled to their size and rhythm, promoting climbing, crawling, and self-directed exploration.

Mandai Wildlife Group Appoints Moment Factory as Lead Designer and Producer

As the lead experience designer and content producer, Moment Factory worked closely with Mandai Wildlife Group’s teams and wildlife experts to ensure the experience aligns with its educational and conservation goals. Together with architectural and engineering partners, Moment Factory crafted a unified narrative across all facets of the environment, embedding storytelling into every spatial and sensory detail. “Our goal was to create an immersive world where learning and play converge naturally,” said Sakchin Bessette, Co-Founder and Executive Creative Director of Moment Factory. “Curiosity Cove is a place where today’s children and future generations can form lasting bonds with nature. We’re proud to have helped make this vision a reality.”

Blending Science with Imagination in a “Hypernatural” Environment

Curiosity Cove reimagines natural elements at an interpretive scale: roots become structures, terrains become sculptures, and ecosystems are brought to life with digital sound and visuals. In the Wetlands, for example, children can observe how water sustains life and explore creatures of the deep sea at the Reef Retreat. Grasslands feature responsive scenography and atmospheric effects to create surprise and delight at every turn. The design process incorporated extensive user testing with children from the target age group. These insights informed circulation patterns, tactile choices, and interactive features to ensure the environment was both intuitive and inclusive.

Inclusive and Phygital Design That Engages the Whole Family

Sensors, projectors, lighting, and spatialized audio are thoughtfully embedded to create a seamless “phygital” experience—where physical and digital elements coexist in harmony. The layout offers zones for quiet reflection, physical activity, and social interaction, allowing every child, regardless of ability or sensitivity, to explore at their own pace. This project builds on Moment Factory’s extensive experience in educational storytelling environments, including installations for MCAAD, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and Science World in Vancouver.

About Moment Factory

Moment Factory is a global entertainment studio based in Montreal, with offices in Paris, Tokyo, New York City, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh. Since 2001, the studio has completed over 600 multimedia projects worldwide for clients including Disney, FIFA, Universal Studios, Changi Airport, and Real Madrid C.F.