The Climatron

at the Missouri Botanical Gardens

An Architectural Analysis by
Colleen Harres &
Cindy Mulnik
The Architectural Analysis includes:

 History of the Building

 Present Building Use
 Analysis
– Organizational Layout
– Circulation
– Proportion and Scale
– Ordering Principles
 Site-Related Aspects
and Parking Facilities
History of the Building

 Built in 1960 to replace the Palm House for a

cost of $700,000
 Idea to build the Climatron came in 1959
from Frits W. Went (the director of the
garden) to house a laboratory that was an
open, clear structure
 The name “Climatron” is meant to imply that
they building has a controlled climate
 Incorporates the design principles of
Buckminster Fuller’s Geodesic System
History of the Building, continued

 Developed by Architects Murphy and Mackey

 Won the Reynold’s Award in 1969 for
Architectural Excellence in Aluminum
 Named one of the 100 most significant
architectural achievements in United States
History in 1976.
 Renovated from 1988-1990 for $6 Million and
the Shoenberg Temperate House was added
Present Building Use

 Used as the Missouri

Botanical Gardens Main
Conservatory
 Simulates a tropical lowland
rainforest
 Houses 1,200 out of
160,000 species of Tropical
Plants, including many
endangered species
 Also home to cycads from
areas all over the world
Analysis: Organizational Layout

Adjacent Spaces describe

the layout of the Climatron
and the recent addition of the
Shoenberg Temperate
House.
Analysis: Circulation

 Approach: Frontal approach from all entrances

 Entrance: Projected entrance that forms a transitional space
which is centered on the building in reference to the path.
The pond opposite the main entrance gives it
ornamentation.
 Configuration of the Path: A radial path that terminates at a
central location with other spiral paths that branch off the
main path.
 Path-Space Relationships: Pass by Spaces. Although the
Climatron is one main space, it is broken up into different
areas that allow for visitors to “pass by” the various plants.
 Form of the Circulation Space: Enclosed space that lends
an airy feeling due to the Saflex (plexiglas) and lack of
supporting columns.
Analysis: Proportion and Scale

•The Climatron stands 70 feet

high and 175 feet in Diameter.
•As you can see, the elevation of
the Climatron is about half of its
floor plan.
Analysis: Ordering Principles

 Axis and Symmetry: There is a

central axis that divides the dome in
half. Since the addition of the
Temperate House, the balance of
space is offset, but it merely adds to
the architectural details of the
Climatron.
 Hierarchy: By looking at the
Botanical Gardens as a whole, one
can see the Climatron from almost
any area which shows visitors the
importance of the structure.
 Site-Related Aspects and
Parking Facilities

Parking Facilities

•The main parking lots for the Botanical Gardens are located outside the
Ridgway Center
•Due to the Botanical Gardens being a public facility, they are ADA
compliant and paths throughout the gardens are wheelchair accessible.
•The Rock Garden, Milles Sculpture Garden, Dwarf Conifer Garden,
Azalea Rhododendron Garden, Magnolia Walk, Rose Garden, and Dry
Stream Bed Garden all surround the Climatron, so there is ample room for
later growth and expansion.
Resources

 All of the information and photographs used

in this presentation were found at:
http://www.mobot.org/welcome.html
the main webpage for the