The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has submitted a planning application to the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames to undertake a landmark renovation of the iconic Palm House and Waterlily House.
The proposed renovation aims to create the first heritage net-zero glasshouses of their kind, conserving two of the UK’s most iconic buildings while radically reimagining their design for a more sustainable future.
Both the Palm House and Waterlily House are currently showing serious signs of deterioration, having last undergone a renovation in the 1980s. Without urgent work the listed buildings and tropical plants they protect are at risk of being lost forever.
The redevelopment is being led by the Kew Capital Projects Team who, together with Hugh Broughton Architects and Cundall engineers, have undertaken years of rigorous testing to strike the difficult balance between energy efficiency and the specific needs of the tropical plants housed within.
The relocation and propagation of plant specimens by Kew’s expert horticulturists has already begun, safeguarding plants from some of the most threatened environments in the world. Though the project is not expected to start until 2027, and will last four to five years, visitors to the Palm House can already see specialist work re-potting, air-layering and relocating plants to ensure the survival of over 1,000 plant species housed within. Two cutting-edge glasshouses, one permanent and one temporary, have been built for the cultivation of tropical plants, each using advanced systems to control the temperature, humidity and light management more sustainably.
Tom Pickering, Head of Glasshouse Collections at RBG Kew, explained: “At the heart of this project is the need to protect the extraordinary plant collections housed in the Palm House and Waterlily House. Besides being beautiful, many have cultural, scientific and conservation value, and replacing these collections is unimaginable. Achieving net zero in these historic buildings is an unprecedented task, it’s a complex challenge which must consider the interplay of horticulture, climatic control, engineering and architecture.”
Hugh Broughton, Hugh Broughton Architects, said: “The Palm House and Waterlily House at Kew Gardens are instantly recognisable icons of Victorian innovation. This exciting project will help to conserve and decarbonise these inspiring glasshouses and make them more accessible to a wider audience. The design elegantly reflects Kew’s ambitious Climate Positive 2030 strategy, reminding us of the fragility of the rainforests and our role in their protection.”
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