Grant Associates and Gustafson Porter designed the Gardens by the Bay park in near the Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore. The $1 Billion project is a symbol of Singapore’s revitalization of nature in the midst of an economic boom. Human technology works as custodian to the operation of nature, assisting instead of dominating natural beauty and health. It was completed in 2012.
Wilkinson Eyre Architects designed the two conservatories with carbon neutral footprints. The Flower Dome has a cool Mediterranean climate, and is the world’s largest columnless glasshouse. The Cloud Forest has a cool jungle climate and contains a large tropical waterfall. Glazing for these giant structures blocks two-thirds of the solar gain while allowing two-thirds of the sunlight to pass through, helping to keep the climates cool.
Rain water is collected from the conservatories and diverted to the Supertrees. These 160 ft artificial trees mimic real trees with solar panels and water collection. They also aid in the conservatories’ intricate air circulation system. Natural air enters at the base of the conservatory and is dehumidified or vented out through the Supertrees. They generate electricity and heat/cool water for the entire complex. The shape of the conservatives help in the venting of air and management of solar gain.
The East Garden emphasizes views of the Marina Bay Sands shoreline, with water inlets around leaf-shaped plots of gardens. Prevailing winds rush through these pathways to cool the site. The South Garden is shaped like an orchid. Atelier Ten acted as environmental design consultants and Atelier One as structural engineers. The museum and visitor center were design by Design Studio.
(Jirka Matousek– flickr/creative commons license)
(Jirka Matousek– flickr/creative commons license)
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(Jirka Matousek– flickr/creative commons license)
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(Jirka Matousek– flickr/creative commons license)
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(Nicolas Lannuzel– flickr/creative commons license)
