PRESSROOM
Fortlandia™ Opens at the Wildflower Center for 9th Season
Photo: Geometry of Play by DLR
Annual Outdoor Exhibit Fosters Hands-On, Nature-Inspired Play with Climbable Custom-Designed Forts
Fortlandia, Austin’s homegrown, nature-focused collection of climbable artist-and-architect designed forts returns to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center beginning October 2. With eight unique, handmade climbable structures, Fortlandia is designed to encourage hands-on creative play and spark an appreciation of the natural world.
In its ninth season, the now iconic kid-focused exhibit features themed forts that inspire people of all ages to interact with the natural world. Each uniquely designed fort is meant to engage the senses, underscore the beauty and value of native plants, and inspire learning.
“The great thing about Fortlandia is that it’s different every year,” said Erika Tucker, Wildflower Center hospitality director. “So our families have something completely new and exciting to anticipate and enjoy every fall.” The forts will be installed in the Luci & Ian Family Garden at the Center, providing the perfect backdrop for nature-inspired play.
Out of dozens of submitted designs, the selection committee chose eight forts this year:
- Adaptive Tree-use by Webber + Studio
- Armadillo Alebrije by GEM
- Bats in the Attic by Bes Builder
- Calliope by The Art Mines
- Geometry of Play by DLR Group & Joeris
- Sundrops by Emily Eisenhart & LPA Design Studios
- Bluestar by Nicholas DeBruyne, Wevolve Labs
- Welcome Home by Nicole Mwei & Sneha Subramanian, Steinberg Hart
“Kids love Fortlandia because, to a child, the forts themselves seem huge, and it feels like a real adventure,” said Lee Clippard, Wildflower Center executive director. “And adults love Fortlandia because it’s nostalgic and inspires nature-based outdoor play. We hope it inspires a life-long curiosity about the natural world.”
Fortlandia opens at 9 a.m., Friday, Oct. 2, and continues through Sunday, January 31, 2027. The exhibition is open daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (some holidays excluded) and is free for members or with regular admission.
For more information about this year’s lineup of custom-designed forts and their themes, visit wildflower.org/fortlandia.
Images may be downloaded at this link. Photo credit guidelines are included in the linked file.