Blue Forest and Jerry Tate Architects have unveiled new images of ‘The Biodiversity Nest’, a high level walkway and platform, which will form part of the new Rainforest Canopy Walkway at The Eden Project. The project will provide a new high level route and a new education experience at Eden within the Humid Tropics Biome.
The Rainforest Canopy Walkway will be a timber and steel framed decked walkway that will provide a new accessible high-level route around the Biome. The Biodiversity Nest will lie in the middle of the rainforest canopy with two 16m bridges spanning out to it, and a timber enclosure which will provide additional shading to assist with visitor comfort. The Biodiversity Nest will be used as an education space concentrating on biodiversity in the natural rainforest.
Andy Payne, Managing Director of Blue Forest states: "We were presented with a particularly challenging brief from the Eden Project Team, to design a tree house structure unlike any other that will complement its unique setting in the Tropical Rainforest Biome... we are confident that the tree house will offer a completely new visitor experience at The Eden Project."
The Biome remains open to the public whilst construction is underway, with the First Phase due for launch to the public in June 2013. The Eden Project is currently working to raise funds to deliver the design element of the Biodiversity Nest. The Canopy Walkway will be completed in phases over the next three years and future phases of the project include elements such as a ‘Weather Station’, a ‘Research Station’ and a ‘Waterfall Cave’ which will be completed as funding becomes available.
Jerry Tate commented: “The Biodiversity Nest is an interesting technical challenge as we have to provide a spectacular education space which is comfortable for visitors in the Rainforest environment, with a limited choice of materials that can cope with the aggressive environment. As well as a galvanised steel superstructure we have been experimenting with heat treated softwoods, as a substitute for robust but unsustainable tropical hardwoods, to form the timber enclosure and deck.”
The Eden Project chose to work with Blue Forest - a company renowned for creating structures that reflect the environment in which they are built. Blue Forest are widely recognised as the world's leading tree house consultants and are collaborating with Jerry Tate Architects in the development of the scheme.
Prior to setting up Jerry Tate Architects in 2007, Jerry was Grimshaw Architect’s Project Architect for ‘The Core’ which brings together all of the educational activities of the Eden Project under one envelope.
