The U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory is a historic property on the National Mall. Designed by Lord and Burnham in the late 1930s, the building had suffered significant deterioration by 1989, when portions of the building required controlled demolition to avoid catastrophic failure. The new design utilizes multiple types of glass and different aluminum alloys to create a facility that will have a useful life of more than 50 years, even though it will be exposed to environmentally challenging conditions. The design specifically locates all piping and utilities to minimize their visual impact in the glass houses, while the mechanical system is designed to support a variety of controlled climatic and temperature conditions. The overall building size has been increased by approximately 25 percent, with a contextual addition that recreates the material and scale of the front elevation while respecting the special demands of the Independence Avenue entry.
The renovated building includes discrete spaces that replicate climates ranging from high-altitude deserts to tropical jungles, and special exhibit spaces that feature attractions such as medicinal plants or prehistoric plant life. Support spaces for catering, offices, a demonstration and lecture hall, and toxic material storage all are part of the program. Structural rehabilitation of the high and low houses was required, and the complex building shapes—resulting from the intersections of bowed glass—create a unique aesthetic.
The American Institute of Architects/DC Chapter honored the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory with a 2004 Design Excellence Award. |
