The glasshouses at the Gardens are now closed to the public while planning and construction for the Ian Potter National Conservatory is underway

The Ian Potter National Conservatory

The Ian Potter National Conservatory is a key new attraction identified as part of the Garden's Master Plan 2015 - 2035. The Conservatory will be a national showcase for tropical Australian native flora from the far north and islands, including rare and threatened species. The Conservatory will become a major destination in Canberra and interpret the rich story of Australia's tropical flora.

The Melbourne-based Ian Potter Foundation, one of Australia's largest philanthropic organisations, has committed $1.5 million to the Conservatory, its biggest investment outside of Melbourne. Remaining funding for the project will be provided by the Australian Government, Parks Australia.

The Gardens undertook a design competition to select an architect and design team to design The Ian Potter National Conservatory.

The Winning Design

The design by acclaimed Sydney architects CHROFI has been selected for the Ian Potter National Conservatory, with the winning "hovering cube" design framed by a void to the sky and transparent and translucent layered skins.

Five finalists were chosen from a national call for expressions of interest, with the design by architects CHROFI selected for their innovative, bold and environmentally-conscious design. See the National Design Competition Jury Report

CHROFI collaborated with McGregor Coxall and Atelier Ten to produce the winning design. The Ian Potter National Conservatory is conceived as an entirely new type of conservatory - a gallery for plants for the 21st century. Rather than the traditional uniform glass envelope, a series of rooms offer a variety of immersive spaces that provide visitors multiple ways to interact with and experience the living exhibit.