The Urban Wild: 10 Botanical Gardens Revolutionizing Horticulture

Dedicated to the display and collection of plants, these incredible spaces combine multiple programs and systems to emphasize sustainability, education and conservation.

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Architecture is always embedded within a larger context. Whether environmental or cultural in nature, buildings and structures are conceptualized as microcosms and protected spaces within a site or region. However, architecture can also be created to house a world of its own. Botanical gardens and greenhouses showcase this reversal perfectly: Dedicated to the display and collection of plants, these incredible spaces combine multiple programs and systems to emphasize sustainability, education and conservation.

Derived from the Italian Renaissance and medieval physic gardens from the 16th century, contemporary botanical gardens have transformed from early medicinal concerns to ornamental horticulture and raising ecosystem awareness. Today, gardens and their architecture are judged less by their living collections than by their diversity and interactive potential with the general public. Rounding up 10 botanical gardens from the Architizer database, the following collection showcases modern garden and greenhouse design from across the world. Built for sustainability as mediums for communication, these thoughtful designs begin to show how contemporary projects are revolutionizing the future of conservation, horticulture and discovery.

Queens Botanical Garden Visitor & Administration Center by BKSK Architects, New York, N.Y., United States

Designed within a cultural and botanical nexus, the Queens Botanical Garden and its new visitor and administration building were built to celebrate a connection between people and plants. The first building in New York City to achieve LEED Platinum certification, the project was made with an interconnected roof, reception area and auditorium space.

Tartu Nature House by KARISMA architects, Tartu, Estonia

Inspired by a tree stump, the Tartu Nature house combines a school, zoo and botanical garden. A central atrium was designed as the building’s heart, while courtyards and outdoor areas provide space to enjoy the surroundings.

Myriad Botanical Gardens by OJB | The Office of James Burnett, Oklahoma City, Okla., United States

Balancing a desire to respect the framework of the existing Myriad Botanical gardens, James Burnett’s design aimed to create a world-class urban park in Oklahoma City. The project includes new flexible garden spaces and public promenades, as well as programs organized throughout the park.

Turia’s Garden by Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura, Valencia, Spain

The Turia’s Garden project arose after plans to divert the course of the river Turia through Valencia. Conceptualizing the expansive space as a structural unit of the urban surroundings, the project included a diversity of programs, from cultural facilities and public spaces to botanical gardens.

Cairns Botanic Gardens Visitors Centre by Charles Wright Architects, Cairns, Australia

Representing a paradigm shift for the city of Cairns, this visitors center explores building construction in a tropical latitude. Formed as an iconic new gateway into the botanical gardens, the design was conceptualized as a “democratic public space under cover.”

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Visitor Center by WEISS / MANFREDI, New York, N.Y., United States

Weiss / Manfredi’s new visitor center was designed as a threshold between the garden and the city. Formed as a kind of inhabitable topography, the project was made as a seamless extension of the landscape that was nested into an existing berm.

AU Hothouse in the Botanic Gardens by C.F. Møller Architects, Aarhus, Denmark

Restoring an old hothouse in Aarhus Botanic Gardens, this project became a new botanical knowledge center and a place where the public can explore. The design was made with an organic form to balance energy-saving solutions and indoor experience.

Bay South Garden by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Singapore

Singapore’s Bay South Garden project was made to house the plant life of Mediterranean and Cloud Forest regions. Inside, the project includes vertical plantings, an indoor waterfall and a perpetually flowering meadow.

VanDusen Botanical Gardens Visitor Centre by Fast + Epp, Vancouver, Canada

The VanDusen visitor center was created as an entrance point and education space to welcome people to the gardens. Programmatically, the project includes administration space, exhibition areas, a cafe and lecture rooms. The design’s iconic free-form roof structure was made to seamlessly flow into the surrounding landscape and garden areas.

Fonderies Garden by ADH, Nantes, France

Located on Nantes Island, the Fonderies covered garden is an adaptive renovation of a hall where famous ship propellers were once melted. Organized into two parts, the garden features areas around the old furnaces and a “voyage garden” that showcases plants that came to Europe via the Atlantic coast.

Author: Eric Baldwin

Based in New York City, Eric was trained in both architecture and communications. As Director of Communications at Sasaki, he has a background spanning media, academia, and practice. He's deeply committed to trying as many restaurants as possible in NYC.