The Eden Project is a project that is quite unique in both its scale and scope. Located in Cornwall, its website describes its primary functions as:
-running transformational social and environmental projects on our doorstep and around the world
-creating unforgettable learning experiences for students
-doing valuable research into plants and conservation
-making sure we run our operations in the greenest possible way
Image © Hufton+Crow
As part of the second phase of its development, the firm Grimshaw has designed and built a series of biomes which thread through 2.2 hectares of the site, creating massive greenhouses which are home to vast humid tropic and warm temperate zones.
Courtesy of Grimshaw Architects
Both structurally and spatially, the domes are an exercise in efficiency. Constructed of hex-tri-hex double layer space frames, light-weight and easily transportable tube steel and joints rely on geometry rather than mass to create these soaring structures. The domes are enclosed with a high performance ETFE foil which maximize surface area while minimizing perimeter detailing.
Courtesy of Grimshaw Architects
Courtesy of Grimshaw