The brief
A third birthday at a children’s restaurant with a bamboo fence, banana palms and a lawn to run on. Safari — but the family were bringing grandparents and a photographer, and wanted a set that would carry a proper family portrait rather than just entertain for an hour.
What we built
A living green wall with <i>Felix Turns 3</i> across it in gold, and the animals built out in front of it at full size: a tiger lying with his paws crossed, a zebra resting, a giraffe standing at the end. Wooden barrels to sit on, hanging greenery, and a balloon garland in sage, sand, terracotta and chrome gold with leopard and giraffe print through it.
How the day went
A host in a safari hat took the lawn — cup towers to kick down, running games, nothing with rules you have to explain twice. Bean bags went down in front of the tiger and the smaller ones lay on them, which is when the bubbles started drifting across. Between rounds the children kept climbing back onto the animals, which is what they were built for.
What the parents got
Depth in every photograph — animals standing in front of the wall rather than printed on it — and a three-year-old’s party that the grandparents could sit through comfortably.
