Delugan Meissl Associated Architects (DMAA) has completed a botanical garden complex with domed greenhouses called the Taiyuan Botanical Garden in Taiyuan, China.
The project includes an artificial landscape of lakes, waterfalls, paths and buildings. The Taiyuan Botanical Garden’s centrepiece is a greenhouse composed of three domes.
“The architectural concept is based on the already existing landscape plan and balances natural landscape, architecture, technological and ecological solutions,” said DMAA.
The botanical garden’s domed greenhouses are designed to accommodate plants of different climates, from tropical and desert plants to aquatic plants. Landscaping across the site was designed by Valentien+Valentien.
Domed greenhouses in Taiyuan, China

The botanical garden also features an entrance building with a nature museum and administration facility. Another highlight of the project is the Bonsai Museum, which is “designed as a rotated bowl integrated into the park’s topography”.
“The construction of the greenhouses required the pooling of technical know-how in the areas of energy design, thermal performance, structural integrity and glazing, as well as assembly and logistics,” said DMAA (via Dezeen).
“With a free span of over 90 metres, the broadest of the three domes is one of the largest such timber-lattice structures worldwide.”
The attraction’s restaurant is inspired by traditional Chinese temples, while the research centre is home to laboratories, studios, office spaces, workshop and meeting rooms, lecture halls and a library.
Botanical garden includes Bonsai Museum

DMAA first unveiled plans for the Taiyuan Botanical Garden in 2016. DMAA was founded in 1993 by Elke Delugan-Meissl and Roman Delugan. The company’s projects include the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart.
Elsewhere, the Eden Project recently signed an agreement with the owners of its proposed site for Eden Project Dundee at the former Dundee Gasworks, less than a mile away from V&A Dundee.
“The former Dundee Gasworks site is by far the best location for our Scottish home and we’re delighted to have a formal agreement in place to start working on a detailed plan,” said David Harland, Eden Project International chief executive.
Images: DMAA