French architecture firm Coldefy & Associates in collaboration with energy company Dalkia unveiles plans for a huge tropical greenhouse to be built in north of France.
Named "Tropicalia," the 20,000 square meter structure will be the largest of its kind, featuring a tropical forest, a turtle beach, 82-foot-high waterfall, an Olympic-sized pool for Amazonian fish, and a one-kilometer-long walking trail, all designed to make it a "harmonious haven". There will also be an auditorium, restaurant, bed and breakfast, and a scientific area complete with conference room, laboratory, and clinic.
The quality of the interior spaces is assured by its total opening which is never interrupted of vertical structure within the enclosure of its large roof.
To make sure the $62-million project is as environmentally friendly as possible, ETFE plastic technology is being utilised in a "double-dome", allowing UV light to pass through while controlling thermal conditions inside. A third layer of ETFE will be placed underneath the structure, which will itself be partially embedded into the landscape, allowing natural thermal heat to be captured. With all of this combined, it's believed the project will be energy-self-sufficient and there's even the possibility excess energy can be distributed out to surrounding buildings
The scope of the project requires a location around the city allowing a generous deployment and a capacity to accommodate many visitors. In contrast to a "megastructure," the building does not create a break with its environment but rises to welcome its universe of fauna and flora. The building is partially embedded in the ground, thus decreasing its height to minimize its impact but also to reduce the distance for visitors who will start their journey from the top level of the greenhouse.