London & South East

‘Butterfly World’ spreads its wings

  MeadowDescribed as “London’s own Eden Project”, Butterfly World continues to expand with the construction of a giant tropical rainforest biome at the world’s biggest butterfly experience.

Butterfly World, backed by Professor David Bellamy, Sir David Attenborough and actress Emilia Fox, is designed in the shape of a butterfly’s head and set within 27 acres of land just off the M25. It is an on-going project dedicated to the conservation of butterflies, providing scientific research and a unique educational but fun experience that the whole family can enjoy.

The new tropical rainforest biome, under construction by Breheny and due to open in 2012, will be the largest of its kind in the world, measuring 100m in diameter and 17m high (at its maximum point). It will cover seven times the footprint of Stonehenge.

The biome represents an architecturally exciting, iconic landmark of the future.

Giant maya ruins based on archaeological sites of Belize and Mexico will provide the backdrop to a kaleidoscope of up to 10,000 tropical butterflies and a variety of hummingbirds and many other creatures.  Meadow

The Biome will include a new butterfly breeding house, an insect study centre, gardens and a chrysalis shaped lake. It will be home to hundreds of plants and mini-beasts, an exhibition of living flora and fauna found within the rainforests of the world, including a lost civilisation, underworld caves with insects, spiders and scorpions, canopy walkways and intermittent thunderstorms – a lost world and a truly tropical adventure.

The Biome will also provide one of the most extraordinary corporate events and hospitality venues in Europe, and will include a restaurant, cafe and retail areas.

Breheny’s Peter Field spoke to Premier Construction about his work on the scheme:

“This is a unique project and the technical demands are different to what we’re used to. We are having to learn things every day to keep on top of it, but so far things have moved along well. Once the dome is finished, I’m sure we’ll be tired but very satisfied and proud of what is going to be an iconic building”.

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Roma Publications