Eden Project, Cornwall
| Eden Project | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| General information | |
| Type | Multiple Greenhouse Complex |
| Architectural style | Inspired by J. Baldwin's Pillow Dome |
| Location | St Blazey, Cornwall, UK |
| Coordinates | 50°21′43″N 4°44′41″W / 50.36194°N 4.74472°WCoordinates: 50°21′43″N 4°44′41″W / 50.36194°N 4.74472°W |
| Completed | May 2000 |
| Opened | 17 March 2001 |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Steel frame and thermoplastic |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Nicholas Grimshaw |
| Structural engineer | Anthony Hunt and Associates |
| Services engineer | Arup |
The Eden Project (Cornish: Edenva) is a popular visitor attraction in Cornwall, England. Inside the two biomes are plants that are collected from many diverse climates and environments. The project is located in a reclaimed Kaolinite pit, located 2 km (1.2 mi) from the town of St Blazey and 5 km (3 mi) from the larger town of St Austell, Cornwall.
The complex is dominated by two huge enclosures consisting of adjoining domes that house thousands of plant species, and each enclosure emulates a natural biome. The biomes consist of hundreds of hexagonal and pentagonal, inflated, plastic cells supported by steel frames. The largest of the two biomes simulates a Rainforest environment and the second, a Mediterranean environment. The attraction also has an outside botanical garden which is home to many plants and wildlife native to Cornwall and the UK in general; it also has many plants that provide an important and interesting backstory, for example, those with a prehistoric heritage.
The project was conceived by Tim Smit and designed by architect Nicholas Grimshaw and engineering firm Anthony Hunt and Associates (now part of Sinclair Knight Merz). Davis Langdon carried out the project management, Sir Robert McAlpine and Alfred McAlpine did the construction, MERO designed and built the biomes, and Arup was the services engineer, economic consultant, environmental engineer and transportation engineer. Land use consultants led the masterplan and landscape design. The project took 2½ years to construct and opened to the public on 17 March 2001.
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