In Aarhus, Denmark long, hard winters mean there’s a short growing season. With a latitude that verges on 60 ° every bit of heat and light needs to be captured to ensure a good growing season.
With that philosophy in mind Danish architectural firm C. F. Møller took to designing a sweeping, dewdrop shaped botanical garden named the Tropical House.
Built from an inflatable membrane the 18-meter (59ft) tall structure can modify its interior light and heat conditions by increasing or decreasing the air pressure within its body. Using a minimalist grid of 10 steel arches the greenhouse maximizes its interior space while maintaining the lowest possible surface area.
“The domed shape and the building’s orientation in relation to the points of the compass have been chosen because this precise format gives the smallest surface area coupled with the largest volume, as well as the best possible sunlight incidence in winter, and the least possible in summer,” said C. F. Møller architects.
Inside the Tropical House a central pond anchors a profusion of exotic flowers, trees and plants all meant to educate visitors about the wonder of Earth’s botanical bounty, no matter how fridged and icy it is outside.
Images Courtesy of C. F. Møller
