New Herbarium, Library, Art & Archives Wing
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Extension to the Herbarium at Royal Botanical Gardens Kew
The 5000m2 addition to the Herbarium provides space for existing collections and future acquisitions. The new wing is climate-controlled and consists of a reading room, research rooms and offices on the top floor with access to a roof terrace.
The building is made from concrete for its strength and thermal qualities. For energy, a mechanical air handling system is assisted by a ground source heat pump helping to achieve a BREEAM excellent rating.
The elevations are composed of brick, cedar and pale bronze aluminium curtain wall. The brick cladding is continued in the interior along with concrete and white plastered walls. There is a concrete helical staircase and dark stained oak joinery with bronze ironmongery and fittings.
Western Red cedar is used to clad the curving forms of the offices, reception, seminar and reading rooms. The cedar will silver over time to complement the red bricks.
Data
- Begun: Feb 2007
- Completed: May 2009
- Floor area: 5,000m2
- Sector: Arts and culture
- Total cost: £15M
- Address: Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Kew Green, Richmond, TW9 3AW, United Kingdom
Professional Team
- Architect: Cullinan Studio
- Project architects: Carol Costello, Chris Crofts, Lara Michael, Simon Feneley, Ted Cullinan
- Client: Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
- Structural engineer: Buro Happold
- Civil engineer: Buro Happold
- Services engineer: Atelier Ten
- Quantity surveyor: Fanshawes
- Main contractor: Willmott Dixon
- Landscape architect: Chris Blandford Associates
Suppliers
- Polished plaster: Armourcoat
- Acoustic accessible ceiling: Armstrong World Industries
- Curved glass: Avanit - Planet Partitioning
- Bespoke furniture: Benchmark Joiners
- Brick outer leaf of envelope: Ibstock Brick
- Brick inner leaf of envelope: Forticrete
- Insulation: Rockwool
- Aluminium cladding : Schuco International
- Timber Cladding: WL Wests & Sons