The NSW government has opened a new flagship campus for plant science at the Australian Botanic Garden in Mount Annan, south west of Sydney.
Designed by Architectus in collaboration with Richard Leplastrier and landscape architect Craig Burton, the $60 million National Herbarium of New South Wales has been built for the preservation of more than one million plant species, previously held in the Robert Brown Building at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney.
The six rammed earth vaults of the Herbarium protect the collection from extreme weather events, including bushfires.
Image: Architectus
The design concept for the building is inspired by the protective casings that surround seed pods. Just as s pod’s hard shell protects the seeds inside, the six rammed earth vaults of the Herbarium protect the collection from extreme weather events, including bushfires. It also has multiple layers of protection with an internal insulated box that provides precisely controlled climate and quarantine conditions to safeguard the specimens from insects and degradation.
Above the vaults, a 36-metre long “fly roof” shades the facility and external terraces for visitors. It also supports an array of solar panels that generate energy for the facility and collects rain water for irrigation.
A 36-metre long “fly roof” shades the facility and external terraces for visitors. It also supports solar energy generation and rain water collection.
Image: Architectus
“The Herbarium is an environmentally remarkable project as plants are central to our planet’s habitability and sustainability.” said Luke Johnson, principal of Architectus. “The research and visitor interaction with the facility’s extensive botanical collection will open the door for positive environmental and societal outcomes well into the future.”
Architectus collaboratively designed the work spaces with the staff at the Australian Institute of Botanical Science to create a well-lit, open plan office that connects to the surrounding gardens. The opening of the Herbarium also coincided with first anniversary of the institute.
Architectus collaboratively designed the work spaces with the staff at the Australian Institute of Botanical Science to create a well-lit, open plan office.
Image: Brett Boardman
The Herbarium joins the Australian Plant Bank at Mount Annan, designed by BVN, as part of the Australian Institute of Botanical Science and its extensive Living Collection of native plants specimens.
“Herbarium specimens are essential for informing decisions about the conservation of our natural environment and the new state-of-the-art facilities will help our world-class experts better utilise the collection to lead vital plant science and research on a local, national and global scale,” said Denise Ora, chief executive of Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust.
