IN THE ERA OF ACCELERATED URBANIZATION AND THE GLOBAL CLIMATE CRISIS, ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN CAN NO LONGER BE LIMITED TO A MERE AESTHETIC EXERCISE. TODAY, MORE THAN EVER, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ADOPT VISIONARY SOLUTIONS THAT COMBINE SUSTAINABILITY, TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AND CULTURAL ENHANCEMENT, TRANSFORMING PUBLIC SPACES INTO LIVING LABORATORIES TO FACE THE CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE. AN EMBLEMATIC EXAMPLE OF THIS NEW PERSPECTIVE IS THE INITIATIVE OF THE UNITED STATES BOTANICAL GARDEN (USBG), WHICH IS REDEFINING ITS HISTORICAL ROLE THROUGH A CUTTING-EDGE ARCHITECTURAL APPROACH: PARAMETRIC DESIGN
The United States Botanic Garden: history and renewal
L’United States Botanic Garden (USBG) it was founded in 1820 thanks to the initiative of President George Washington, President Thomas Jefferson and the physician and botanist William Thornton. Washington and Jefferson strongly believed in the importance of a national botanical garden to promote knowledge of plants useful for agriculture and medicine. The garden was later formalized by the United States Congress, becoming one of the oldest botanical institutions in North America. It represents a meeting point between science, culture and community.
Its historic greenhouses host a vast collection of plant species that come from all over the world, but to keep up with the times, the Botanical Garden has chosen to integrate the principles of “parametric and computational design” to redefine its spaces, that is, a design approach that uses mathematical models and algorithms to create structures, spaces and architectural forms.
This technique is particularly innovative because it allows you to model complex and adaptive designs, based on a series of defined parameters that directly influence the final form and function of the project. Which not only represents an opportunity to innovate garden architecture but also becomes a powerful tool to educate, inspire and promote a culture of sustainability. But what innovations does the USBG foresee and what projects could it draw inspiration from?
Global Inspirations: The Eden Project and Geodetic Domes
Traditionally, greenhouses have been conceived as protected spaces capable of hosting exotic or delicate plants, artificially recreating specific climatic conditions. Today, thanks to the innovation brought by parametric design, these structures are evolving into dynamic and intelligent ecosystems, capable not only of hosting biodiversity, but also of actively communicating with the surrounding environment.
Il parametric designin fact, uses algorithms and mathematical models to design adaptable and functional structures, where each element – from the shape to the arrangement of materials – is optimized in response to external factors such as sunlight, ventilation, temperature and humidity.
This highly flexible and sustainable approach allows greenhouses to transform into living organisms, capable of dynamically adapting to climate changes and improving the energy and environmental efficiency of spaces.
When innovation takes the field
Biomorphic greenhouses, inspired by the organic forms found in nature, represent a turning point. Using algorithmic modeling and 3D drawing tools like Grasshopper and Rhinoceros, architects can design structures that mimic nature, maximizing energy efficiency and aesthetic harmony.
Transparent covers made of advanced materials such as ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) allow light, humidity and ventilation to be managed dynamically, creating perfect habitats for plant species while reducing environmental impact.
A fundamental reference point for USBG is theEden Projectin Cornwall, United Kingdom. This extraordinary complex of geodesic greenhouses (an architectural form characterized by a network of triangles that create a stable, light and resistant structure), hosts distinct ecosystems, each designed to reproduce specific climatic conditions. The domes, built with a combination of lightweight steel and ETFE panels, represent a perfect example of sustainable architecture.
This structure not only reduces the use of materials, but creates large, airy spaces that optimize the passage of natural light and reduce energy costs. USBG could take inspiration from this model, designing adaptive greenhouses that host unique biomes (natural ecosystems) and integrate advanced climate control technologies. The goal would not only be to preserve biodiversity, but also to educate visitors about the complex links between global ecosystems.
Looking at the Singapore model
Il Gardens by the Bay in Singapore is another example of how parametric design can transform a botanical garden into an icon of innovation. Here, structures such as the Supertrees embody a perfect fusion of nature and technology, transforming a traditional concept of a botanical garden into a visionary example of sustainability and innovation. These imposing structures, between 25 and 50 meters tall, resemble giant futuristic trees, but are actually integrated systems of vertical gardens and ecological technologies.
Specifically, the structure of a Supertree is made up of a steel trunk, covered in panels and nets that host over two hundred species of plants and flowers, including climbers, ferns and orchids. This design is not only aesthetic, but functional: their shape allows them to collect rainwater, used for watering the surrounding gardens and cooling the nearby greenhouses.
Some of them are also equipped with photovoltaic panels that produce solar energy, powering the lighting and other functions of the Gardens by the Bay. The expanded canopy at the top not only serves to create shade, but also to regulate the natural ventilation of the area, improving the energy efficiency of the entire complex.
I Supertrees e la Cloud Forest
Then at night, the Supertrees become the protagonists of spectacular plays of light synchronized with music, which attract visitors from all over the world.
For the USBG, adopting similar technology could mean creating vertical greenhouses or educational pavilions that integrate renewable energy and natural resource harvesting. Furthermore, such structures could be designed to adapt seasonally, creating dynamic microclimates capable of hosting rare plant species and raising public awareness of the importance of sustainability. But it doesn’t end here.
The Cloud Forest, one of Gardens by the Bay’s most iconic greenhouses, uses an energy-efficient misting system to recreate a humid mountain environment. The structure itself, designed through algorithmic simulations, integrates shading canopies and advanced materials to minimize energy consumption.
East River Conservatory: the symbiosis between architecture and climate
Another source of inspiration is theEast River Conservatory of New York, a visionary project that embodies the meeting between advanced technology, sustainability and innovative architectural design. Located along the banks of the river of the same name, this concept aims to redefine the relationship between built space and the natural environment, using parametric technologies to create a dynamic and adaptive ecosystem.
The distinctive feature of the conservatory is the use of dynamic shading systems, designed with parametric algorithms. These systems automatically adjust natural lighting and shading based on environmental conditions, such as the angle of the sun and the season. Thanks to this technology, it is possible to optimize the entry of natural light, ensuring visual comfort for visitors and, at the same time, reducing energy consumption for artificial lighting and cooling.
The architecture of the East River Conservatory is not only an exercise in aesthetics, but also a statement of intent towards sustainability. The spaces were designed to integrate harmoniously with the surrounding landscape, creating a continuum between the river, the green areas and the internal structures. The surfaces of roofs and facades not only serve as aesthetic elements, but are also functional. In fact, they host solar panels that generate energy and rainwater collection systems for irrigation.
The experience inside the conservatory is equally innovative. Thanks to the regulation of lighting and temperature, the environments create microclimates that allow the cultivation of exotic plants and the organization of interactive exhibitions. This approach transforms the conservatory into an educational and recreational place, where visitors can learn how technology and sustainable design can improve our relationship with the environment.
But let’s see other innovations that USBG could adopt.
Digital botanical libraries
The expansion of the United States Botanic Garden could fully embrace the opportunities offered by technology to redefine the very concept of a botanical garden.
One of the most fascinating possibilities is represented by the creation of virtual botanical libraries, digital platforms that collect detailed information on thousands of plant species, presented through dynamic and interactive visualizations.
These libraries could be enriched with 3D models of plants, audio reproductions of their scientific descriptions, or even simulations of their interactions in virtual ecosystems. Each user, through a computer or mobile device, could explore a tropical forest or a desert, observing the life cycle of plants and understanding their relationships with the environment.
Immersive experiences
Immersive installations based on augmented and virtual reality represent another extraordinary tool to broaden the educational impact of USBG. Through the use of Virtual Reality (VR) headsets or Augmented Reality (AR)-based applications, visitors could walk through a virtual garden that overlays the real world, observing extinct or rare plants in their original digitally recreated habitat.
An illuminating example of this approach is the Vatican Chapels Pavilion on the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, a project that combines architecture, storytelling and technology to offer a unique cultural experience. Each chapel, designed by internationally renowned architects, is accompanied by multimedia installations that enrich the visual and spiritual experience, allowing visitors to interact with the symbolic and artistic meaning of each space.
This synergy between technology and nature is not only a creative exercise, but a powerful tool to expand USBG’s educational and cultural mission. Virtual visitors could be invited to participate in live-streaming events, interactive workshops or even citizen science projects, directly contributing to the collection of botanical data.
This approach would not only democratize access to botanical knowledge, but would transform the idea of the garden from a physical place to a global platform, capable of connecting millions of people with nature, wherever they are.
Energy systems and sustainability: an integrated ecosystem
Sustainability is the beating heart of the USBG initiative. Systems such as integrated solar panels, rainwater harvesting and geothermal cooling could transform the garden into a model of energy self-sufficiency.
The rotating solar sails of “The Musical Seine” in Paris offer a perfect example of how technology can be used to optimize energy efficiency.
The USBG could also integrate innovative materials such as transparent solar panels and low-energy lighting systems, reducing the environmental impact of its structures and promoting a replicable model of green architecture.
Source
Parametric Architecture