Architects shortlisted for Ian Potter National Conservatory

The Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) has announced the practices selected to participate in a national design competition for the proposed Ian Potter National Conservatory in the heritage-listed gardens in Canberra.

A jury chaired by Richard Johnson has selected five teams from 39 submissions following a call for expressions of interest.

The shortlisted practices are:

  • BVN, lead architect James Grose
  • CHROFI, lead architect John Choi
  • Grimshaw Architects, lead architect Andrew Perez
  • Sean Godsell Architects, lead architect Sean Godsell
  • Terroir, lead architect Gerard Reinmuth

The conservatory is intended to be a showcase of tropical native flora from northern Australia, including threatened species from Kakadu and Christmas Island National Parks. It is one of the key recommendations in a 20-year masterplan by Taylor Cullity Lethlean (TCL) and Tonkin Zulaikha Greer (TZG), released in 2015, which also proposed a new visitors’ centre, cafe and function centre, a wedding garden, an amphitheatre, a treetop adventure ropes course and an eco lodge.

“The Ian Potter National Conservatory will define the Gardens as the leading conservator of such plants, contributing to our mission to inspire, inform and connect people to the Australian flora,” said Judy West, executive director of the ANBG.

The shortlisted teams will develop their design proposals over the next two months. A winner will be announced on 18 July 2016, after which, all of the submitted proposals will be exhibited at the ANGB at the conclusion of the competition.

Construction is planned for early 2017 and the new conservatory is due to open early 2018.

The 20-year masterplan will be implemented in three stages. A national seed bank and bushwalking trails connecting the ANBG to the National Arboretum, also designed by TCL and TZG, are to be completed by 2020 to commemorate the garden’s 50th anniversary.

The project is being funded by the Australian Government and a $1.5 million grant from the Ian Potter Foundation.

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