The Ian Potter National Conservatory

Looking at the trajectory of conservatories, two observations emerge. As visitor attractions they have become symbols of technological wonder that rely on the shimmering transparency of an all glass shell to create a visual icon. However, as buildings dedicated to environmental conservation there is an inherent contradiction. An all glass shell is a poor insulator hence an enormous energy drain - losing heat during the winter and exposing the interior to excessive heat gain during the summer. How can conservatories become unique, memorable experiences in the age of climate change? This conservatory is an architecture of the senses. Rather than relying on the materiality of glass to create a unique spatial enclosure, this proposal amplifies contrasting experiences to create unexpectedly complex and sublime spaces. The architecture of the conservatory defines a series of immersive spatial experiences that plays upon solid & void, compression & release, light & dark, natural and man-made. The main exhibit is framed by a void to the sky, defined by a massive cubic form that appears to hover impossibly overhead. Surrounding this void is a layered skin that acts as a high performing insulative structure while its outermost layer uses solar energy to pre-warm the air and store excess heat in the wall’s thermal mass to allow the building to maintain its high internal temperature during the winter and stabilise this temperature in the summer.