Temperate House shortlisted for WAF Award

The World Architecture Festival has revealed that the Temperate House Precinct Project has been shortlisted in the New and Old category of the WAF Awards, celebrating projects that encompass creative re-use and adaptation.

The five year, £41 million project fully restored Decimus Burton’s Grade I-listed glasshouse, conserving the ironwork structure, fully renewing the building services and leaving the building with a secure long-term, sustainable future as a Horticultural Glass House. Internally the opportunity has been taken to make provision for new activities, with a widened central activity space to permit multi-function use. A new heating and servicing strategy was installed, utilising a new biomass boiler situated within the back of house to provide sustainable energy to heat the glasshouse.

As a result of the project, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew have successfully reduced the entirety of their carbon emissions by over 25%. The Temperate House recorded a record number of visitors – over 16,000 – during the opening weekend.