Olin and Overland architecture studios have completed the world’s first net-positive energy botanical garden in Sarasota, Florida, featuring a rooftop array of 2,158 solar panels. This groundbreaking project is part of a three-year master plan by Philadelphia-based landscape architecture studio Olin, aimed at expanding the 15-acre Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, renowned for its research and education on air plants and native plant species.
Phase 1 of the Master Plan
Completed earlier this year, Phase 1 introduced three new structures and significant infrastructural updates to the campus. These updates include a state-of-the-art stormwater management system, a recreational trail, and improvements to the surrounding roadways. The new buildings, designed by Texas-based Overland Partners, span 188,030 square feet (17,468 square meters) and include a multi-use parking facility, a research center, and a ticketing booth.
LEAF: The Energy Hub
The centerpiece of this phase is the Morganroth Family Living Energy Access Facility (LEAF), a four-story parking garage featuring a ground-level restaurant and gift shop. The rooftop solar array on LEAF serves as the campus’s primary energy source.
Research and Welcome Centers
Adjacent to LEAF are the Steinwachs Family Plant Research Center and the Jean Goldstein Welcome Center, connected by a pavilion roof that shelters the ticket counter. Together, these structures host 57,000 square feet of solar panels, generating 1.27 million kilowatt-hours of power annually.
Sustainability Achievements
The solar array was activated in late June, marking the beginning of a year-long monitoring period to ensure the project generates more energy than it consumes. The project aims to exceed the campus’s energy demand by 10%, securing its status as the world’s first net-positive energy botanical garden.
Innovative Features
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens highlighted the LEAF building’s features, including a restaurant utilizing electric and induction cooking, vertical gardens, and a nearly 50,000-square-foot solar array. The campus also boasts the world’s first net-positive energy restaurant, powered entirely by solar energy, with ingredients sourced from a rooftop garden managed by Operation EcoVets.
Additional Facilities
The Research Center, organized around a double-height lobby, includes laboratories, research libraries, conference rooms, and offices. The Welcome Center features a ticketing counter, exhibit space, and a theater under a curved, wood-clad roof supported by steel trusses.
Environmental Impact
The project is expected to offset 975 tons of CO2 annually, equivalent to the carbon sequestration of 1,000 acres of US forest. Overland Partners associate principal John Byrd praised the facility as a benchmark for sustainable, regenerative architecture, enhancing both Selby Gardens and Sarasota’s reputation as leaders in sustainable design.
Future Developments
Phase 2 will introduce a greenhouse complex, learning pavilion, and additional infrastructural enhancements, including the reinforcement of sea walls around the property.
Other Florida Projects
In addition to this landmark botanical garden, Glavovic Studio has designed a red aluminum walkway to connect locals with the Everglades, and Renzo Piano Building Workshop has revealed plans for a cultural center in Boca Raton.
Photography is courtesy of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens unless otherwise noted.
Source: dezeen.com
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