A new Magic Wall was inaugurated in one of the largest Central European zoos, Sosto, east of Hungary. With nearly HUF 14 billion under the initiatives of the Modern Cities Programme, the city of Nyíregyháza marks a milestone: this project is the largest investments ever made in a zoo in the history of Hungarian outdoor animal parks.
After several years of preparation, the new 2-hectare exhibition area of the Sosto Zoo, featuring the Arctic Circle, was finally completed at the beginning of 2024 summer. The Ice World is a special building which uses unique technical solutions, and provides space for rare arctic species not yet seen in Hungary.
Besides the 2-hectare area, a special showcase building features Back and Rosta's virtual wonder, our flagship product, the Magic Wall. I'm guessing that it will be one of the most visited and most happy, joyful and entertaining Magic Walls in the world – said Miklós Rosta, one of our founders after the ceremonial inauguration event.
The new interactive digital video wall stands in the middle of the central hub for visitors as one of the main interactive attractions. The primary goal of this development was to use modern technology to transport visitors to the Arctic Circle. Our video display consists of six units of 55-inch monitors and it is 4.2-meter-wide, designed specially to fit into the unified theme of Ice World and is surrounded by a wall panel symbolizing an ice wall.
The Zoo contributes significantly to the conservation of biodiversity around the world, as 113 species out of 500 are now kept, which are saved from extinction in a coordinated European programme. In addition to species conservation programmes, it is also a key venue for science education and living biology lessons. Immersed in the white, icy environment, visitors can learn about the animals of the Ice Age in a colorful and interactive way. They can gain knowledge and have fun through several games, many of which can be played simultaneously.
Tha main highlights of the new Magic Wall’s features are the presentation of various species in different languages, transferring information through pictures and videos, 3D rotation of animals, and of course, the most popular features, our engaging, full-screen puzzle and other games, interactive challenges and quizzes.
The co-creation process was a key part of the cooperation between the team of Back and Rosta and the Sosto Zoo staff. This collaborative effort ensured that the final product was both innovative and closely aligned with the zoo’s educational mission and visitor engagement goals.
We believe in the smart, organically engaging and modern educational approach of our digital solutions. That is why this was a prestige project for Back and Rosta as we are aiming to compete for other major animal parks and science centers around the world to offer them our innovative and successful solutions – added Miklos Rosta.
This unprecedented attraction, created with 14 billion forints, is the result of a great collaboration. The mayor's office, local government staff, companies, institutions and various professionals have made this fantastic project their own. We can look back on the Ice World with joy and pride, it was worth all the work invested – concluded the opening Mayor of Nyíregyháza, Dr. Ferenc Kovács.
Comments