see the world’s biggest greenhouse at venice architecture biennale 2021

at this year’s venice architecture biennale, visitors will be able to take a first look at tropicalia — what is set to be the world’s largest tropical greenhouse under a single dome. presented by zuecca projects, the exhibition will display architectural models, drawings, sketches and videos of the proposed greenhouse. ‘TROPICALIA – architecture, materials, innovative systems’ is curated by alessandro possati, director of zuecca projects, and thomas coldefy, architect and principal of coldefy, the practice behind the ambitious project.

tropicalia greenhouse by coldefy, 2024

image © octav tirziu atelier

designed by coldefy & associés, tropicalia is set to be constructed in 2024 on the côte d’opale in northern france. the massive greenhouse proposes to immerse visitors in a tropical environment measuring 20,000 sqm and topped with a 35-meter-tall dome. an indoor ventilated temperature of 26°C will accommodate a diverse range of birds, butterflies, fish, reptiles, and exotic plants, fauna and flora.

tropicalia greenhouse by coldefy, 2024

image © octav tirziu atelier

the huge domed structure is designed to integrate with its environment by the absence of internal load-bearing columns. a double dome design is conceived to provide optimal thermal isolation while the entire building is developed to be energy self-sufficient; all the heat produced by the greenhouse’s effect will be recycled and stocked, and the surplus energy will be exported via a heat network into buildings and surrounding businesses.

tropicalia greenhouse by coldefy, general view, 2024

image © coldefy

for this exhibition, visitors will get a glimpse of the architecture and engineering systems behind the tropicalia greenhouse, as well as its sustainable air treatment engineering. it also presents the current state of the research on tropical fauna and flora, and its benefits on the ecosystem, the planet and health. the exhibition aims to show how science can answer the question of ‘how will we live together?’, the title of the venice architecture biennale 2021 curated by hashim sarkis. the space will also host conferences with relevant figures of the architecture world to investigate and discuss the themes and challenges arisen by tropicalia.

TROPICALIA – architecture, materials, innovative systems will be on show at squero castello in venice from may 22nd to november 21st 2021. to find out more and to reserve your visit, check out zuecca projects’ website here. see designboom’s previous coverage of tropicalia here.

tropicalia greenhouse by coldefy, general view, 2024

image © coldefy

exhibition info:

name: TROPICALIA – architecture, materials, innovative systems, collateral event of the 17th international architecture exhibition – la biennale di venezia

curators: thomas coldefy, alessandro possati

collaborators: maria caterina denora (project coordinator), elisabeth girot (communications and development director, project coordinator), martin mercier, marianna guarino, jerica puterle, alissa james (architects, exhibition designers)

organized by: zuecca projects

supported by: autodesk, eiffage construction, lenovo, tarkett, novaxia, hausbrandt trieste 1892 s.p.a, EOC – eckersley o’callaghan, projex, terraotherm, WAAO, nhood

location: squero castello, salizada streta 368, castello 30122, venice, italy

dates: may 22 – november 21 2021

opening hours: 10.00 am – 01.00 pm / 02.00 pm – 06.00 pm, closed on monday

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom