ISPA Conference & Expo
ISPA Conference & Expo
ISPA Conference & Expo

Kew Gardens nears completion on restoration of world's largest Victorian glasshouse

Kew Gardens has announced an opening date for its historic Temperate House, which has been closed while undergoing a five-year renovation.

The southwest London attraction said the Victorian glasshouse – the largest in the world – will reopen to the public on 5 May 2018, complete with 10,000 rare and exotic plants.

The long and painstaking restoration, designed by Donald Insall Associates and costing £41m (€46m, US$54m), is the biggest such project in Kew Gardens’ history, with the framework of the building, its intricate ironwork and ground paving carefully repaired and thousands of panes of glass replaced.

The Temperate House, which was designed by architect Decimus Burton and built in 1863, will be used for horticultural education and to showcase rare and sometimes near-extinct plant specimens. About 500 plants were housed in the glasshouse, which were removed and propagated by Kews’ gardeners throughout the restoration period. There are now 10,000 plants from all over the world being rehoused in the newly upgraded building, including Dombeya mauritiana, which was considered practically extinct until Kew horticulturalist Carlos Magdalena found one growing wild in Mauritius.

“A few weeks ago, I watched as some of the world's rarest plants were moved, with the utmost care, into the Temperate House. It was a seminal moment, kicking off the countdown to May's re-opening of what has to be Kew's most incredible building,” said director of horticulture Richard Barley.

"The Temperate House will be for everyone. From young to old, for budding gardeners or aspiring artists, for those making a pilgrimage from great distances, and for our local community, we hope every visitor will see plants in a new light."

The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded around £15m (US$19.6m, €16.8m) to the project, with £10m (US$13m, €11.2m) from the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and £8m from private donations.

kew gardens  heritage  glasshouse  temperate house  london  uk 
Related stories
16 Jun 2016

Wolfgang Buttress' Hive pavilion creates buzz in London's Kew Gardens

29 Jan 2016

The Hive to celebrate the life of bees at new Kew Gardens home

Kew Gardens has announced an opening date for its historic Temperate House, which has been closed while undergoing a five-year renovation. The southwest London attraction said the Victorian glasshouse – the largest in the world – will reopen to the public on 5 May 2018, complete with 10,000 rare and exotic plants. The long and painstaking restoration, designed by Donald Insall Associates and costing £41m (€46m, US$54m), is the biggest
CLD,VAT,HAM,ARC,DES
The Temperate House interior - before the plants go back in
/ © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew
More news
News stories: 1 - 30 of 7781     
 
 
 
News stories: 1 - 30 of 7781     
 
 
 
company profile
Company profile: Curry Spa Consulting
Curry Spa Consulting has been providing clients in the high-end and luxury hospitality sector with spa design, programming, guidance and oversight since 2011.
Try cladmag for free!
Sign up with CLAD to receive our regular ezine, instant news alerts, free digital subscriptions to CLADweek, CLADmag and CLADbook and to request a free sample of the next issue of CLADmag.
sign up
features
The development includes dedicated spaces for fitness and wellness activities
"Now we’re talking about pedestrians as the most important members of the street community"

The new US neighbourhood designed to improve the health of its residents

Passengers could travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in 12 minutes
Jakob Lange
"I was screaming out loud – it was impossible to hold back. This was something that had never been done before."

Head of BIG Ideas shares the latest on Virgin Hyperloop One

Nanshufang reading pavilion is the cultural centre of Amanyangyun, where guests can explore Chinese art forms and books
"This carefully choreographed interplay of room and courtyard extends through all scales of the masterplan"

The desire to save a threatened forest and historic buildings in China led to a truly unique resort, We speak to the people that made it happen

Catalogue Gallery
Click on a catalogue to view it online
To advertise in our catalogue gallery: call +44(0)1462 431385
features
The Al Hajar Mountains in northern Oman, home to the Alila Jabal Akhdar hotel
Fabio Scacciavillani is chief economist for the Oman Investment Fund. He started his career working for the International Monetary Fund
"The region has a microclimate thanks to the monsoon, so the summer is cool and rainy"

The Oman Investment Fund’s chief economist talks us through plans to redefine Oman as a high end leisure and tourism destination

Pharrell Williams Resource Center: a youth centre for the producer’s Virginia Beach hometown
Chad Oppenheim
"You can’t insert the operational aspects as an afterthought, the whole project is a balance of performance and poetry"

From a youth centre for Pharrell Williams to a Six Senses resort, Miami architect Chad Oppenheim’s aim is to find the balance between fantasy and functionality

The design features raised walkways to protect the jungle floor
Heather Henninger (left) and Nathan Stevenson (right)
"Our goal is to be one of the largest dedicated green wellness communities in the world"

A new green wellness community for Mexico

features
"Come to Euphoria Retreat if you’re looking for a full health-boost, you’ll leave feeling completely rejuvenated"

Wellbeing Escapes and Well Home have partnered to bring you this special offer for the Euphoria Retreat in Greece

The Mathematics Gallery at London’s Science Museum was a passion project for Zaha Hadid. It is due to open in December
Schumacher joined Zaha Hadid Architects in 1988 after studing architecture in Stuttgart and London
"Zaha was a star… very courageous, very driven in terms of wanting to excel"

The director of Zaha Hadid Architects on how ZHA plans to keep innovating with passion

The hotel offers guided day trips on a private yacht to explore the local scenery and wildlife
Project architect Humberto Plaza
"You can feel God here. When I first saw the site, it felt like heaven on earth. I fell instantly in love with it "

Designing an eco hotel for the Galapagos Islands that allowed the stunning natural surroundings to take centre stage while minimising its impact on the land presented its own unique set of challenges, Ecuadorian architect Humberto Plaza tells Kathryn Hudson

cladkit product news
Jaffe Holden helps bring Academy Museum of Motion Pictures alive
Jaffe Holden provided architectural acoustics for the Academy Museum
Magali Robathan
Acoustical consulting firm Jaffe Holden provided architectural acoustics and audio/video design services for the recently opened Academy Museum of Motion ...
Siminetti unveils iridescent decorative panelling range inspired by plants
The Clematis design
Megan Whitby
The Botanicals is Siminetti’s newest Mother of Pearl decorative panelling collection, inspired by the distinctive patterns found in botany and ...
Mather & Co and ITV unite to create Coronation Street Experience
Mather & Co has transformed the visitor centre into the ultimate haven for ardent Coronation Street viewers
Magali Robathan
Experience designers, Mather & Co, have orchestrated a remarkable collaboration with ITV to unveil the new Coronation Street Experience, a ...
cladkit product news
Codelocks develops new glass door smart lock
The new lock model allows facilities and building managers to create and manage access via an app or online portal
Megan Whitby
Codelocks has launched its first glass door smart lock to bring intelligent access control to modern spa, leisure, fitness and ...
Alberto Apostoli designs tech-forward Wellness Therapy furniture collection for Varaschin
The furniture collection draws on absolute geometries, pure lines, neutral colours and strong references to nature
Megan Whitby
Furniture manufacturer Varaschin has unveiled the new Wellness Therapy range, designed by Italian spa and wellness architect and designer Alberto ...
Alberto Apostoli and Newform collaborate to launch the A.Zeta showerhead
The showerhead offers two modes; rainfall or waterfall
Megan Whitby
Italian architect Alberto Apostoli has renewed his partnership with Newform – an Italian wellness company – and designed A.Zeta. A.Zeta ...
cladkit product news
Eco Resort Network conference to convene in Mauritius this May
The event will be hosted in the Mauritius in 2024
Megan Whitby
Hospitality industry event Eco Resort Network is set to take place at the Ravenala Attitude Hotel, Turtle Bay, Mauritius, from ...
Koto Design introduces wood-fired hot tub
Koto is known for crafting modular, energy-neutral cabins and homes
Katie Barnes
A striking wood-fired hot tub has been unveiled by Koto, an architecture and design studio which has a passion for ...
Eden project uses drones to spell out climate change warning
Magali Robathan
Almost 300 drones were used to signal an environmental message above the Eden Project’s biomes, during the UN Climate Change ...
x
Sign up with CLAD for regular news updates
ISPA Conference & Expo
ISPA Conference & Expo