Austin, Texas, Sept. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fortlandia, Austin’s celebrated, nature-focused exhibition of interactive and climbable forts, returns to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center beginning October 4 with eight architect- and artist-designed forts ready to encourage creative play and spark an appreciation of the outdoors and art.
In its eighth year, the popular family-friendly 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.
“We have a lot of fun producing Fortlandia,” said Erika Tucker, Wildflower Center hospitality director. “It’s incredible to see the forts go from concept to reality at the hands of so many creative people.”
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:
Cushing Terrell: Birdhouse
DMD Interactive: Prairie Schooner
Gensler: Play Perch
Hill & Hammer: Flower Wild
HKS Austin: Living Kaleidoscope
Jobe Corral Architects: Cactlandia
MEM + SWYSS: Roots Rambler
Page, now Stantec: Petal Stitch
“Fortlandia is both nostalgic and forward-looking, and that’s part of what makes it magical,” said Lee Clippard, Wildflower Center executive director. “To see families so excited and engaged in our gardens is incredibly positive for everyone involved in the project. Nature-based play is a powerful way to engage children, and Fortlandia delivers on that, year after year.”
Fortlandia opens at 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 4, and continues through Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2026. 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.
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For press inquiries, contact Scott Simons, director of marketing and communications, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Images of fort designs and works in progress may be downloaded at this link. Photo credit guidelines are included in the linked file.
About The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the State Botanic Garden & Arboretum of Texas and welcomes more than 276,000 guests annually to its 284 acres of gardens, trails and exhibitions, thus fulfilling its mission of inspiring the conservation of native plants. As a fully self-funded unit of The University of Texas at Austin, the Wildflower Center’s investments in science, conservation and education include a native seed bank, a comprehensive database of North American native plants, and research programs in collaboration with The University. The Center is the embodiment of Mrs. Johnson’s environmental legacy. “The environment is where we all meet, where we all have a mutual interest,” she said. “It is the one thing all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but a focusing lens on what we can become.”
- Gensler Architects’ ‘Play Perch’ fort rendering
- Cushing Terrell architects’ ‘Birdhouse’