Geodesic Paradise

by Stephanie Gooch

Among the myriad millennium projects celebrating 21st Century technology, grows the world’s largest greenhouse—the Eden Project, located in Cornwall, England. Based on geodesic designs, the insect-shaped biomes house thousands of plants from the most diverse vegetation habitats of the world. While some of the plants from cooler temperate climates are “housed” in the Roofless Biome, plants from the humid tropics and warm temperate zones thrive within a series of gigantic greenhouses, designed to capture solar energy during the day and save it in an earthen heat sink to radiate at night. The entire indoor structure spans 858 meters in length, 100 meters at the widest point and can accommodate giant tropical trees up to 45 meters tall. 

Lightweight tubular galvanized steel frames—625 hexagons (about nine meters wide), 16 pentagons and 190 triangles—encase triple-glazed pillow windows comprised of ETFE, made by Dyneon LLC, Oakdale, MN. The recyclable, lightweight plastic film has a 0.1mm interior layer sandwiched between two 0.2mm thick outer layers. The layers are heat-welded together at the edges and then inflated into pillows two meters thick in the middle. At 90% transparency, it passes more light than glass, allowing more visible light and germicidal UV rays to benefit the plants. With better insulation properties than glass, the highly flexible material is not degraded by sunlight and has excellent mechanical stress properties, particularly with regard to tear resistance, weathering hail, twigs and similar impacts with ease. And the anti-static film surface is self-cleaning with each rain shower—no one need do windows. 

After six years of development and construction, the conservatories were fully opened to the public in March this year. Through artistic interpretation, education and science, visitors experience the relationship, both current and historical, between plants and people. Partnerships with commercial enterprises promote profitable yet ecologically sound business practices, encouraging responsible, sustainable use of the planet’s resources.

For more information:

Circle 600 - Dyneon LLC, or connect directly to their website via the Online Reader Service Program at www.RSLeads.com/110df-600

Circle 601 - The Eden Project, or connect directly at www.RSLeads.com/110df-601