The Calyx, Royal Botanic Gardens

Cockram Construction / Sydney, Australia

McGregor Coxall in collaboration with PTW Architects and Cockram Constructions were the selected winners for this prestigious design competition for a new world class botanic display centre located in Sydney’s historic Royal Botanic Gardens. The landmark project features a giant interior living green wall for horticultural display inside a glasshouse with a research and education centre. The landscape foregrounds the Calyx as a jewel in the gardens commanding an elevated position to create a sense of arrival.

Two leading radial paths provide a powerful visual and physical connection between the new built form and the wider gardens. The structural array is composed around a central ‘Iris’ podium which offers flexibility for various events. The highly adaptable central podium features a water mirror pond for quiet contemplation that can be covered for use as event floor space or adapted for horticultural displays.

Year

2016

Site Area

.59 ha

Services

  • Competition
  • Landscape Master Plan
  • Sports Grounds
  • Water Sensitive Urban Design [WSUD]

Collaborators

  • Cockram Constructions
  • Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney
  • PTW Architects
Ann Deng
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Aerial view of Sydney Harbour featuring the iconic Sydney Opera House and lush green Royal Botanic Gardens, including the stunning Calyx. The surrounding cityscape includes tall buildings, with boats visible on the blue waters of the harbour.
A spacious park within the Royal Botanic Gardens features a well-maintained green lawn with scattered trees. Several people are relaxing on the grass, some on blankets. In the background, The Calyx, a modern glass-structured pavilion, is situated among more trees under a clear blue sky.
An open green space with a few people standing on pathways surrounded by trees. A modern, white circular building—known as the Calyx at the Royal Botanic Gardens—is visible in the distance with birds flying above. The scene is calm and bathed in soft sunlight.
A conceptual architectural rendering shows two views of a modern building with a central courtyard. The upper view is a cross-section, highlighting the structure's design reminiscent of The Calyx at Royal Botanic Gardens, centered around a lush tree. The lower view depicts people walking around the courtyard with the central tree.
Aerial view of Calyx, a circular, modern building with a glass roof and radial design, nestled within the Royal Botanic Gardens. The structure features multiple levels and an open central atrium with a single tree. Pathways extend outward, connecting the building to its lush surroundings.
Aerial view of the lush, green Royal Botanic Gardens with dense trees, well-maintained pathways, a central glasshouse structure resembling a calyx, and smaller garden sections. The landscape features various plant species and neatly arranged flower beds amidst the greenery.
A lush indoor garden with tall glass ceilings and walls filled with various plants. Bright sunlight streams through the glass, illuminating the dense greenery and creating a tranquil, tropical atmosphere reminiscent of the Royal Botanic Gardens. The pathway winds through the vibrant foliage, showcasing each calyx in splendid detail.
A circular structure at the Royal Botanic Gardens, known as the Calyx, is illuminated at night with vibrant, multi-colored lights transitioning from blue and purple on the left, to green and yellow in the center, and to orange and red on the right, creating a striking visual effect.