Christoph Valentien, Donata Valentien (text): Designing Botanic Gardens is among the great tasks of landscape architecture ever since the Botanic Garden in Padua has shaped the world’s view of botany and thus our understanding of the variety of plants. It is the utopian idea to concentrate plants from all over the world in one place, and at the same time, to present them scientifically and aesthetically.
The Chenshan Botanic Garden Shanghai documents a new era, a different understanding and experience of the world. The understanding of the global danger to ecosystems and the knowledge about the dramatic loss of plant species is growing. The Chenshan Botanic Garden can no longer function just as a scientific plant collection, but must also exhibit the great variety of botanic communities and their habitats. The garden should awaken an understanding for the earth’s ecosystems in their beauty and for the danger they are exposed to.
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- © Jan Siefke, Shanghai
- © Yiju Ding
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- © Jan Siefke, Shanghai
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- © Jan Siefke, Shanghai
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- © Jan Siefke, Shanghai
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Yet the garden remains within the tradition of Chinese garden culture. This tradition is continued, but at the same time new images are created. The need is to deal with nature in a responsible way in the garden itself. It has to communicate, instruct, entertain and be memorable to visitors who are seeking relaxation as well as information.
The Site
Shanghai is built on alluvial land, located in an immense delta formed by the Yangtze River as it flows into the East China Sea. In a largely flat landscape nine hills rise up to about 100 metres. The land lies just slightly above sea level and the groundwater is close to the surface. A moist alluvial landscape still prevails, a „water landscape“ which is crossed by numerous canals and drainage channels. Agriculture, the cultivation of vegetables and fruits, and intensive fish farming characterise the scene. In between widely scattered villages can be found.
The landscape, however, is changing at a dramatic pace. Songjiang, a satellite city in south-western Shanghai, will become a centre of new residential development. Large new housing estates and exclusive residential areas are springing up everywhere along with a new university campus and business park. The land in this area has obviously been prepared for further construction and the Chenshan Botanic Garden will soon be an internal park in this continuously growing metropolis.
The Design
We approached the site with western eyes, at the same time, we were curious, and wanted to understand what was different, which dreams and hopes are linked to the Chinese landscape and garden. We adopted typical Chinese landscape elements and tried to translate them into a concept that complies the requirements of a modern Botanic Garden and uses a new formal language.
A strong formative intervention was necessary in order to create a distinct place in such heterogeneous surrounding. The spatial composition is simple. A graded ring surrounds an inner garden and one of the nine hills, Chenshan. The ring is a symbol for the world; the mountain and the lake where the sky is reflected are the defining symbols and traditional Chinese motives. The powerful dynamism of the spatial elements gives an orientation in a geographical as well as an aesthetic sense.
The most important buildings, the reception building with its exhibition halls, the greenhouses, and the botanical research centre, are all integrated into the large sculptured ring and form a morphological unit, a “built” landscape.
On the elevated ring, with its slopes and leveled areas, a vegetative-geographical pathway leads through laurel woods from different continents.
The forested ring will satisfy scientific requirements while at the same time remaining a generous and usable park. Modeled on a naturally occurring environment, small areas of woodland frequently alternate with open groves and groups of trees.
The heart of the garden is a large area consisting of several lakes, where aquatic plants are exhibited in both natural and artistic settings. More than 35 theme gardens are located in this area as single islands. They adhere to a consistent basic structure. They rise approximately one metre above the damp subsoil, are surrounded by uniformly sloped banks, have natural stone paving, and form a framework around a rigid and repetitive pattern in the soft soil around them. Individuality is readily apparent on these islands. Here the garden is celebrated. The variety and splendour results from the plant breeding over hundreds of years.
Each island represents a distinct world of its own – with its own atmosphere and individual design. The aim is to promote the vegetative beauty in these areas: the Osmanthus garden, the topiary garden, the water gardens, garden for medicinal plants and much more. However besides enjoying the beauty people can also learn about useful aspects. A garden allocated next to the biogas plant demonstrates the importance of bioenergy crops; another garden displays plants that can be used for the production of fibres, such as coconut palm, hemp, sisal, and cotton. An island with an olive grove exhibits different oil-producing plants, another shows vegetables in colourful patterns.
A large garden for medicinal plants plays a unique role. Chinese medicinal plants are situated in the centre, surrounded by medicinal plants from other continents, such as herb gardens in European monasteries and medicinal forest gardens in Sri Lanka.
Sustainability
And yet, the main objective was to develop a sustainable system, from the planning of the buildings to the operation of the garden. The garden will thus be able to function as an example and demonstration project for sustainable architectural development.
The local water that is heavily polluted will be purified in a new constructed wetland area before being fed into the centre lakes; the buildings are equipped with an energy-efficient facility management system, including an ecological wastewater treatment system.
The embankment and the theme gardens that rise out of the subsoil were created by using the soil excavated from the large centre lake.
Perspective
The Botanical Garden offers learning and research opportunities to people of all ages aswell as to school classes as to scientists. At the same time it is a place where inhabitants of Shanghai can spend the whole day to relax and recreate. There are numerous restaurants, boat and bike rentals, a kindergarten and a campground. One of our main goals for the garden is to keep the balance between scientific purpose and local recreation.
Client: Chenshan Botanical Garden Shanghai Project Team, China
Design team: Planungsgruppe Valentien, Munich
Landscape architecture: Valentien + Valentien Landschaftsarchitekten und Stadtplaner SRL; Straub + Thurmayr Landschaftsarchitekten
Architecture: Auer + Weber + Assoziierte GmbH
Final Planning Landscape architecture: SLADI Final Planning Architecture: SIADR
Coordination Germany-China: Yiju Ding
International Competition Chenshan Botanic Garden Shanghai 2005 Realization: 2010
Area: 206 hectares
Area balance:
Total area 100% – 206ha
Vegetated areas 62% – 123ha
Water 17% – 34ha
Paved surfaces 18% – 36ha
Buildings 3% – 5ha
Awards:
2011 Design Prize City of Shanghai (Shanghai Exploration and Design Trade Association)
CEDA Design Prize 2011, Category Public Projects in China (CEAD – China Exploration & Design Association)
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FAQs
What is the oldest Botanic garden in the world? ›
The world's first university botanical garden was created in Padua in 1545, which makes the Botanical Garden of Padua the oldest surviving example of this type of cultural property.
What is the largest botanical garden in China? ›Shanghai Botanical Garden is the biggest municipal botanical garden in China. It has a large collection of thousands of plants, including some rare species.
Which is the world largest and most prestigious botanical garden? ›Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England – known as the largest botanical garden in the world, this 300-acre garden near London is home to the world's biggest collection of living plants.
How much is the entrance to Shanghai Botanical Garden? ›Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Taking into account the time and trouble it takes to get there, the entry fee of 40rmb, and the perfectly ordinary views once inside, I wouldn't recommend the Shanghai Botanical Garden to any out-of-town visitor.
Where is 5 largest botanical garden present? ›- A. National Botanical Garden, Lucknow.
- B. Indian Botanical Garden, Shibpur.
- C. Lalbagh Gardens, Bangalore.
- D. Botanical Garden, Ooty.
Royal Botanic Gardens
Kew Gardens (pictured above) may be the most famous botanical park in the world and not just because it's a UNESCO World Heritage site. More than 50,000 plants thrive here, including many you'd never expect to find in dreary-gray England.
1. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. The largest in any city, this 250-acre wonder has 50 specialty gardens and collections comprising more than one million plants, plus 30,000 trees and a Victorian-era glasshouse.
What is the oldest botanic garden in the US? ›Bartram's Garden
This is the oldest surviving botanic garden in the United States. It was founded in 1728 by John Bartram (1699-1777), an early American botanist, explorer, and plant collector.
Louis, Missouri. It is also known informally as Shaw's Garden for founder and philanthropist Henry Shaw. Its herbarium, with more than 6.6 million specimens, is the second largest in North America, behind that of the New York Botanical Garden.
Which is the most beautiful garden in the world? ›- The Gardens of Versailles, Versailles, France. ...
- Monet's Garden, Giverny, France. ...
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ...
- Keukenhof, Lisse, Netherlands. ...
- Boboli Gardens, Florence, Italy. ...
- Butchart Gardens, Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada. ...
- Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa.
What is the most photographed garden in the world? ›
Monet's Garden, Giverny, France - 46,040 Instagram Photos
And today 500,000 visitors head to the gardens each year to soak up the place that inspired some of the world's most famous art.
Chinese Garden in Singapore entry fee is free of cost. You can explore the gardens without spending any penny. However, if you wish to visit the live turtle and the tortoise museum, then you need to spend $5 for adults and $3 for children.
What is the biggest Garden in Shanghai? ›The Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden is located in the Shanghai Sheshan National Tourist Resort in Shanghai's Songjiang district and covers an area of 207 hectares, making it the largest botanical garden in East China.
Which is the largest botanical garden of Asia? ›largest botanical garden in asia - Xishuangbanna Tropical Nature reserve.
Which is the largest botanical park? ›The best-known landmark of the garden is The Great Banyan, an enormous banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis) that is reckoned to be the largest tree in the world, at more than 330 metres in circumference.
Which is the largest botanical? ›A)Largest botanical garden in the world is Royal botanical garden at Kew in England. B) Famous botanical gardens in India are National Botanical Research Institute (Lucknow), Indian botanical garden (Howrah), Lalbagh Botanical Garden (Bangalore) etc.
What is the most expensive garden in the world? ›Ace of Diamonds Garden in the United Kingdom is the world's most expensive garden that is valued at a whopping £20 million which is equivalent to over US$ 26 million. It is designed by famous landscape gardener David Domoney and it features a wide range of precious gems, crystals, and diamonds.
How big is the largest garden in the world? ›| Dubai Miracle Garden | |
|---|---|
| Type | Flower garden |
| Location | Dubailand, Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Coordinates | 25.05981°N 55.24454°E |
| Area | 72,000 m2 (780,000 sq ft) |
| Longwood Gardens | |
|---|---|
| The Italian Water Garden at Longwood Gardens | |
| Location | Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°52′11″N 75°40′43″W |
| Area | 1,077 acres (436 ha) |
What is the biggest indoor garden in the US? ›
Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago, Illinois
At 4.5 acres, it's regarded as one of the largest and most spectacular conservatories in the world.
That's why at Shiloh Field, we grow fresh fruits and vegetables for hungry people in Denton County. We have grown over 340,000 pounds over the last tirteen years and are the largest community garden in the U.S.
How many plants does the US botanic garden have? ›The U.S. Botanic Garden maintains more than 9,500 accessions, which equates to about 44,000 plants.
How many botanical gardens are there in the US? ›There are thought to be between 300 and 1000 botanical gardens and arboretums in the United States.
How many Botanic Gardens are there in the world? ›Most major cities around the world offer their own botanic garden and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. With over 1775 botanical gardens around the world.
Who funds the US Botanic Garden? ›The Friends of the U.S. Botanic Garden is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. It was created in 1991 to finance the National Garden. Today, the Friends support the educational outreach activities at the U.S. Botanic Garden.
What is the oldest garden in North America? ›Bartram's Garden is a 50-acre public garden and National Historic Landmark in Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, situated on the banks of the Tidal Schuylkill River. Founded in 1728 by botanist John Bartram (1699–1777), it is the oldest botanical garden to survive in North America.
Do all states have botanical gardens? ›7 U.S. states have an official state botanical garden or arboretum.
What is the most beautiful flower in the world? ›Rose. The rose is considered the most beautiful flower in the world, which is why it's called the “queen of the garden.” It's one of the most popular flowers worldwide, and it comes in different sizes and colors. Also, they're very common throughout the world.
What is the most romantic garden in the world? ›Ninfa is a landscape garden in the territory of Cisterna di Latina, in the province of Latina, a part of Lazio in central Italy. It's location makes it a perfect day trip from Rome. Its 260 acres comprise an Italian natural monument which contains medieval ruins, several oaks, cypresses and poplars, and grassy meadows.
What is the most photographed place in USA? ›
With more than 11,000 photos on Yelp's site, topping out the list was New York City's Central Park. Spanning more than 843 acres, Central Park serves over 42 million visitors every year and offers more than just green space.
Where is the oldest garden in the world? ›Located in Padua in the north east stretch of Italy, the Orto Botanico di Padova is recognised as the world's oldest academic garden. Since being founded in 1545 the garden has remained in the same location for almost 500 years.
What is the most photographed city in the world? ›What is the most photographed city in the world? New York City — no surprises here! NYC is always included among the most photographed cities in the world because it's home to Central Park and the Empire State Building.
What is the famous botanical garden? ›The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, was founded in 1759. It was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.
What is the difference between botanic and botanical? ›For the adjective meaning of or relating to botany or the cultivation of plants, botanic and botanical are both acceptable, and there is no difference between them, but botanical is more common in 21st-century English. Botanic was more common up to the 20th century but has gradually faded out of use.
Why is Shanghai famous? ›Shanghai is one of the world's major centers for finance, business and economics, research, science and technology, manufacturing, transportation, tourism, and culture, and the Port of Shanghai is the world's busiest container port.
What was the original name of Shanghai? ›As late as the 5th to 7th centuries ce the Shanghai area, then known as Shen or Hudu, was sparsely populated and undeveloped.
Does Old Shanghai still exist? ›Today the Old City contains some ancient but renovated features, such as the Yuyuan Garden complex first created in the 1500s during the Ming Dynasty, the pedestrian streets of the commercial area around the garden and the City God Temple (materials for tourists often refer to it as the Nanshi District although the ...
Which Chinese city is famous for gardens? ›The classical gardens of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China date back to the 6th century BCE when the city was founded as the capital of the Wu Kingdom.
Which city has the best collection of Chinese gardens? ›As well as being known as the 'Venice of the East', thanks to its network of picturesque canals, the elegant city of Suzhou on China's eastern seaboard is also famed for its classical gardens. There are currently 69 gardens preserved in Suzhou, with nine designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
What is the most authentic Chinese garden outside of China? ›
Lan Yuan, Dunedin Chinese Garden, is located in the city of Dunedin in southern New Zealand. It is sited next to the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum close to the centre of the city and numerous other of the city's tourist attractions, including the Dunedin Railway Station and Queens Gardens.
What is the richest part of Shanghai? ›Lujiazui. The Lujiazui Financial and Trade Zone can be found on the east side of the Huangpu River and is Shanghai's most impressive financial and commercial area.
Where is the richest place in Shanghai? ›Pudong is liked by expatriates and the well-heeled locals who enjoy the luxury residential options available. Long-time residents see Pudong as a suburb where the rich grown-ups retreat to when they are ready to settle down and move away from the cramped confines of a refurbished brick house in central Shanghai.
Are there mansions in Shanghai? ›On 1 May 1951, the Shanghai Municipal Council, who had assumed ownership in 1945, renamed the Mansions as "'Shanghai dasha' or the Grand Building of Shanghai", or as more popularly known in English, "the Shanghai Mansions".
What is the second oldest botanical garden in the world? ›Botanischer Garten Jena
The garden's first major expansion took place in 1630 under the direction of Professor Werner Rolfnick, who had been working for several years at the Padua Botanical Garden in Italy (the second oldest botanical garden in the world).
Bartram's Garden
This is the oldest surviving botanic garden in the United States. It was founded in 1728 by John Bartram (1699-1777), an early American botanist, explorer, and plant collector.
Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Botanic Garden in Kolkata is the first botanical garden established in India and also in South Asia.
What is the third largest botanical garden? ›- #9. Royal Botanical Gardens Sydney. Sydney, Australia. ...
- #7. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Cape Town, South Africa. ...
- #5.Orto botanico di Padova. Location: Padua, Italy. ...
- #3. Jardin Botanique de Montreal. ...
- #1. Kew Royal Botanical Gardens.
1. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. The largest in any city, this 250-acre wonder has 50 specialty gardens and collections comprising more than one million plants, plus 30,000 trees and a Victorian-era glasshouse.
What is the largest botanical garden in the US? ›| Longwood Gardens | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°52′11″N 75°40′43″W |
| Area | 1,077 acres (436 ha) |
| Visitation | 1.5 million (2017) |
| Website | longwoodgardens.org |
How many botanical gardens are in the US? ›
There are thought to be between 300 and 1000 botanical gardens and arboretums in the United States.
What is the oldest botanical garden in Asia? ›Bogor Botanic Gardens is an area that has an important role in the development of natural science in Indonesia. Bogor Botanic Gardens is the oldest botanical garden in Southeast Asia, founded by German botanists, Dr. C.G.C. Reinwardt on May 18, 1817.
What is the oldest public arboretum in America? ›The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is a botanical research institution and free public park, located in the Jamaica Plain and Roslindale neighborhoods of Boston, Massachusetts. Established in 1872, it is the oldest public arboretum in North America.
Which is the largest botanical garden in the world name a few well known botanical gardens in India? ›Solution: A)Largest botanical garden in the world is Royal botanical garden at Kew in England. B) Famous botanical gardens in India are National Botanical Research Institute (Lucknow), Indian botanical garden (Howrah), Lalbagh Botanical Garden (Bangalore) etc.
What is the bloodiest garden? ›Here's a complete guide with some warnings for visiting the Alnwick Poison Garden. The deadliest garden in the world!
What is the second largest garden in the world? ›Located in Lisse, Keukenhof is home to seven million flowers each year. It's the second-largest flower garden in the world behind the Dubai Miracle Garden.