Room for nature: a visitor's centre for the botanical gardens in Gothenburg
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Examensarbete för masterexamen
Model builders
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Abstract
The fast pace of the city can often feel wearing and hectic.
To find peace and quiet, nature can often offer an escape for
many people and for some the tranquillity of nature can act
as an almost religious or contemplative substitute. Regardless
of how nature is perceived or experienced by various people,
I doubt that there are few who would not feel relaxed when
being present in a serene natural landscape, at least when it
is not rainy or cold. In a slight contradiction, I can sometimes
get the impression that there, at least in Sweden, is a sort of
stress to go out in nature in order to grasp the fleeting, but very
desirable tranquillity that nature has to offer during the part of
the year that it is as most pleasurable.
In Gothenburg – this web or road, chaos and stress – there are
fortunately a few green islands or serenity and peacefulness.
During the Corona pandemic, the Botanical gardens and
Änggårdsbergen acted as such a place for me.
In this project I will be designing a visitor’s centre for the
botanical gardens in Gothenburg. Such a visitor’s centre is
currently in development and a winning proposal has already
been selected and planned for construction. In addition to a
visitor’s centre it will also include a large greenhouse complex.
Since such a project is already underway, it indicates that
there is a need for a building that can inform and inspire more
visitors to learn about nature and botany. The visitor’s centre
and greenhouses will further strengthen the attractiveness of
the botanical gardens in Gothenburg that already draws a
large number of visitors of around 500 000 each year.
Furthermore, such a room dedicated to nature would be
of great interest to school classes that wishes to embark on
excursions over the day and for university students studying
botany where they will be able to utilise this building as part
of an enhancement of their education. In fact, the botanical
gardens already has extensive collaboration with the university
faculty.
The method for this project is to work contextually in such
a way as to abstract forms that adhere to the context of the
Botanical Gardens - in this case flowers. I will be using this as
the driving generator for the design of the floor plan but also
for various architectural elements.