Architecture
Plantbank — a research facility and repository for seeds and plant specimens, showcasing the conservation work that is safeguarding Australian native flora from extinction.
A facility of global significance, PlantBank is dedicated to the study and preservation of natural life cycles — from germinating seeds to the propagation of forests and habitats. The building is both a repository for seeds and plant material and a centre for conservation, restoration, horticulture and research that invites the public inside.
In partnership with the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew Gardens, the Australian Plant Bank advances a global mission to preserve seeds and biodiversity.
The heart of PlantBank is the Seed Vault — the largest native seed bank in Australia — where more than 100,000,000 individual seeds are securely archived in a repository of over 10,000 collections. Seeds are stored in temperature-controlled cold rooms, where they can remain in stasis for centuries, enabling future generations to revive species that have been lost to habitat destruction and climate change.
PlantBank's visitor hub is the lobby at the junction of the building's research, workplace and information zones. From here, the inner workings of the building are revealed to visitors – including the laboratory researchers and the high-tech Seed Vault. With links to major seedbanks across the globe, PlantBank has a strong educational interest and includes conference facilities for staff, visiting academics, and the public.
The lichen garden uses remnant sandstone blocks rescued from demolished Sydney buildings to host exotic plant colonies; a symbolic returning of the once shaped urban sandstone back into its natural composure.
Credits
BVN
Consultants
360 Degrees, AECOM, ARUP, Blackett Maguire + Goldsmith, Croudace Greenhouses International, Eco Logical Australia, Hanimine, MBMPL, Morris Goding Access Consulting, Ox Engineering Group, Urbis, Waterstone, X Squared Design, Findex Australia
Consultants
360 Degrees, AECOM, ARUP, Blackett Maguire + Goldsmith, Croudace Greenhouses International, Eco Logical Australia, Hanimine, MBMPL, Morris Goding Access Consulting, Ox Engineering Group, Urbis, Waterstone, X Squared Design, Findex Australia
Photography
John Gollings
Awards
The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) National Cultural Heritage Award of Excellence (360 DEGREES and BVN in association) (2018)
The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) NSW Culture and Heritage Award (360 DEGREES and BVN in association) (2018)
The Australian Institute of Architects National Award for Public Architecture (2014)
The Australian Institute of Architects National Award for Sustainable Architecture (2014)
The Australian Institute of Architects Awards for Public Architecture (NSW) (2014)
The World Architecture Festival High Commendation Research Buildings (2014)
The Australian Institute of Architects Awards for Sustainable Architecture (NSW) (2014)