Toshiko Mori, the world renowned architect who designed the Darwin D. Martin House visitors center, is coming back to Buffalo to tackle another project at the Botanical Gardens. For years, supporters of the Botanical Gardens have been looking for ways to attract more visitors to the site. Whether that means better exhibits or a restaurant, the goal is to create a destination that continues to attract visitors over and over, throughout the year.
Joining Mori will be Oasis Design Group of Baltimore, MD, and Arup of New York City via a collaboration to come up with a long term plan for the Botanical Gardens.
“The design team clearly demonstrated its combined, highly specialized expertise in architecture, landscape architecture, conservatory exhibit design, master planning and structural engineering,” said David J. Swarts, the Gardens’ president and CEO. “The team was selected following a nationwide search, proposal submission and interview process.”
“We are very pleased and privileged to be appointed in the lead role in the master plan of Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. It is an absolute gem among conservatories, situated in the extraordinary Olmsted designed South Park. It has a potential to become a world class institution which will complement the rich architectural legacy of Buffalo,” said Toshiko Mori, Principal of Toshiko Mori Architect, PLLC. “I am very happy to be able to return to Buffalo and further contribute to the renaissance moment of this city.”
“The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens’ Victorian-style Lord & Burnham conservatory is a renowned piece of architecture that symbolizes a rich period in plant exploration and discovery,” Scott C. Scarfone, ASLA, principal at and founder of Oasis Design Group, said. “Oasis Design Group is honored to be given an opportunity to create an equally powerful design for the conservatory’s interior plant exhibitions and surrounding landscape. Oasis is eager to share its experience in working with botanical gardens and conservatories nationwide and to work with the design team, the Gardens’ and stakeholders on a master plan for the interior exhibits and exterior site that will chart the course of the Gardens for the next 50 years.”
I always thought that having a butterfly conservatory incorporated into the plan would be a good idea. Now we will see what Mori has up her sleeve to “wow” visitors from far and wide.