Eden Project
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The Eden Project is a large-scale environmental complex near St Austell, Cornwall, England. The project was conceived by Tim Smit and designed by the architects Grimshaw. Although relatively new, it has quickly become one of the most popular visitor attractions in the United Kingdom. The complex includes two giant, transparent domes, each emulating a natural biome, that house plant species from around the world. The first emulates a tropical environment, the other a warm temperate, Mediterranean-type environment. The project took 2½ years to construct and opened to the public in March 2001. The project is ongoing, and part of its purpose is to see how the different biomes develop over time.
The Core is the latest addition to the site, opening in September 2005. It provides the Eden Project with a much-needed education facility, incorporating classrooms and exhibition spaces designed to help communicate Eden’s central message about the relationship between people and plants. Accordingly the building has taken its inspiration from plants, most noticeably in the form of the soaring timber roof, which gives the building its distinctive shape.
Grimshaw developed the geometry of the copper-clad roof in collaboration with a sculptor, Peter Randall-Page, and Mike Purvis of structural engineers SKM Anthony Hunts. It is derived from Phyllotaxis, which is the mathematical basis for nearly all plant growth; the ‘opposing spirals’ found in many plants such as the seeds in a sunflower’s head, pinecones and pineapples.
Views of Eden Project
Layout
The project is constructed in a disused china clay quarry. Visitors approach along roads to car parks at the top of the quarry and walk or bus to the entrance area, half-way down a gently sloping side. The entrance area includes the usual restaurant and gift shop, implemented in a more interesting way than is common. The entrance area also has some informational exhibits, some of which are animated.Once into the attraction, there is a meandering path with views of the two biomes and of interesting planted landscapes (including, for example, colourful patterned areas which upon inspection prove to be vegetable gardens) and sculptures, such as a giant bee and towering robot-themed creature created from old electrical appliances.
The steel and plastic biomes
At the bottom are the two biomes. The larger, the Humid Tropics Biome, is for tropical plants, such as fruiting banana trees, coffee, rubber and giant bamboo, and is kept at a tropical temperature. The smaller of the two, the Temperate Biome, which will eventually have its content split into a third Biome yet to be built, houses temperate and arid plants and various pieces of sculpture.
The biomes are constructed from a tubular steel frame with mostly hexagonal transparent panels (there are a few pentagonal ones) made from a complex plastic known as ETFE (it was decided very early on that glass was out of the question, being too heavy and potentially dangerous). The 'panes' of the biome are created from a triple layer of thin UV-transparent ETFE film, inflated to create a large space between the two sides and trapping heat like double-glazed windows. The plastic is resistant to most stains, which simply wipe off in the rain, although if required, cleaning is performed by abseilers. Although the plastic is prone to punctures, these can be fixed with ETFE tape. The structure is completely self-supporting, with no internal supports, and is based around a geodesic structure. The panels vary in size up to 9 m across, with the largest at the top of the structure.
Environmental study and concerns
All known medicinal uses for the plants are listed alongside them. Part of the Eden Project is serious environmental and educational study, aiming to safeguard our planet and prevent mankind destroying benefits provided by nature by showcasing the interdependence of plants and people. Large displays and 'hands on' attractions aim to be both fun and educational, with new developments such as the Eden Education Centre proving to be a place to have fun, yet learn important things about our planet and our survival.The Eden Project is an extremely environmentally aware project. There are many attractions and information signs on Global Warming and why plants are so important to our way of life (shown in a rather controversial and entertaining animation displaying what our world would be like without plant life). The Eden Project recycles as much as possible, with all litter areas split into five or more compartments for plastic, food, paper and other general waste, which is all recycled. The massive amounts of water required to create the humid conditions of the Tropical Biome, as well as to serve the toilet facilities, are all sanitized rain water that would otherwise collect at the bottom of the quarry. Infact the only mains water used is for hand washing and for cooking. They have Green Tariff Electicity the energy comes from one of the many wind turbines in Cornwall, which were some of the first in europe.
The 'Eden Shop' also boasts a huge array of recycled waste, such as pencils made of plastic vending machine cups, and mouse mats made of old tyres or circuit boards, as well as 'grow your own' kits.
Mr. Smit states that if the project becomes, or is merely seen to be, a theme park, then it has failed.
Recent events
The Eden Project hosted the "Africa Calling" concert of the Live 8 concert series on July 2 2005. It was also used as a filming location for the 2002 James Bond film, Die Another Day.Literature
- Richard Mabey: Fencing Paradise: Exploring the Gardens of Eden London 2005: Eden Project. ISBN 1903919312
- Hugh Pearman, Andrew Whalley: The Architecture of Eden. With a foreword by Sir Nicholas Grimshaw. London 2003: Eden Project Books. ISBN 1903919150
- Tim Smit: Eden. London 2001: Bantam Press.
- Eden Team (Ed.): Eden Project: The Guide 2005/6. St Austell 2005: Eden Books.
- Paul Spooner: The Revenge of the Green Planet: The Eden Project Book of Amazing Facts About Plants. St Austell 2003: Eden Books.
- Philip McMillan Browse, Louise Frost, Alistair Griffiths: Plants of Eden (Eden Project). London 2001: Alison Hodge.
Media
- Robin Kewell (Ed.): Eden. The inside story. St Austell n.d.: The Eden Project. (DVD)
- Alan Titchmarsh: The Eden Project. w/o location 2006. (DVD) ASIN B000E1P2WQ
See also
- BIOS-3
- Biosphere 2
- Closed ecological system
- Ecosystem
- Vivarium
- The Lost Gardens of Heligan
- List of topics related to Cornwall
External links
- [EdenProject.com] - The project's official website
- [Grimshaw's website]
- [Eden Project photos from Cornwall 365]
- [Photographs of Eden Project photos from Views Of Cornwall]
- [Cornwall Council to give a £360,000 grant to the Eden Project (Jan 2006).]
- [photographs taken at the Eden Project]
- [Webcam of the Eden Project]
- [Private Website with many pics also from the construction time]
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