Greenroofs.com Project of the Week: 5/02/16

Gardens by the Bay, Cloud Forest Conservatory’s Cloud Mountain
Singapore
43,056 sf. Greenwall (Approximate)

Project of the Week Description & Details

The 101-hectare, multi-award-winning Gardens by the Bay brings to life the National Parks Board Singapore’s vision of creating a City in a Garden. Consisting of three waterfront gardens, Bay South Garden is the largest at 54 hectares or 130 acres, designed by Grant Associates as masterplanners. Located along the edge of Marina Reservoir offering breathtaking views of Marina Bay, the two cooled conservatories are the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. Designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, they are home to over 250,000 species of plants.

The two giant columnless, carbon-positive glasshouses collect rainwater from the surface which is circulated in the cooling system and connected to the Supertrees, then vent the hot air and also cool the circulated water.

Higher than the Flower Dome, the Cloud Forest is slightly smaller at .8 hectares. The gigantic biodome recreates the environment and climate of a 7-story high mountaintop forest, replicating the cool moist conditions found in tropical highland regions between 1,000 metres and 3,000 metres above sea level. Developed with a proprietary Organic Wall System from Tropical Environment to simulate a ‘living skin’ of a natural mountain, the Cloud Mountain in the Cloud Forest Conservatory is densely planted with epiphytic plants, including species and varieties of orchids, ferns, bromeliads, begonias, anthuriums, and pitcher plants.

All levels offer a different horticultural experience: At the entrance visitors receive a cool blast of air, and see the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, at 35 metres high. Take the lift to the top to the Lost World to discover the unique biodiversity and geology of cloud forests, and then descend through the 122-metre long Cloud Walk and Treetop Walk. Half way down, the Crystal Mountain Cave features a variety of stalactites, stalagmites and hollowed-out crystals. At ground level, the Secret Garden and Foothills overflow with luscious foliage, where art is intermixed within the ponds and plantings. Before exiting, enter Earth Check and see the “+5 Degrees” video, showing the effect that a 5° C or 9° F increase in temperature is expected to have on similar mountain-top environments due to climate change.

Year: 2012
Owner: Gardens by the Bay
Location: Singapore
Building Type: Park
Type: Living Wall
System: Single Source Provider
Size: 43,056 sf. sq.ft. (approximate)
Slope: 70-85%
Access: Accessible, Open to Public

Designers/Manufacturers of Record:

Bay South Garden Masterplan, Lead Design & Landscape Architect: Grant Associates
Cooled Conservatories Architect: Wilkinson Eyre Architects
Structural Engineer: Atelier One
Environmental Specialist: Atelier Ten
Mountain Skin/Green Wall: Organic Wall System, Tropical Environment Pte Ltd
Mountain Skin/Green Wall Design/Build: Tropical Environment
Irrigation and Plant Installation: Tropical Environment
Conservatory Glass Panel Facade Engineering: ARUP

View the PROJECT PROFILE to see ALL of the Photos and Additional Information about this particular project in the Greenroofs.com Projects Database.

Project of the Week Video Feature

Watch the Gardens by the Bay, Cloud Forest Conservatory’s Cloud Mountain Project of the Week Video below or see it on our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube:

Did we miss your contribution? Please let us know to add you to the profile.

Would you like one of your projects to be featured on Greenroofs.com? We have to have a profile first! Submit Your Project Profile.

Love the Earth, Plant a Roof (or Wall)!

By Linda S. Velazquez, ASLA, LEEP AP, GRP
Greenroofs.com Publisher