West 8, the Dutch landscape architecture firm, which recently won the Governors Island master plan design competition (see earlier post), will create a 40-year master plan for Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, one of the leading horticultural centers in the U.S. The plan will guide the long-term growth of Longwood’s campus, which covers more than 1,000 acres and includes 180 structures. WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/ Landscape/ Urbanism, a multidisciplinary design practice based in New York City, is also included in the project. The $ 1 million master plan is expected to be complete by May 2011.
In 1906, industrialist Pierre du Pont created Longwood to save a collection of historic trees from being sold for lumber. According to Longwood Gardens, du Pont invested in turning the site into a ”horticultural showplace.” Since then, the administrators have updated the site’s infrastructure and applied innovative sustainable practices. “Every plant used in the seasonal displays is composted in Longwood’s robust composting program, producing soil for future plantings. The Gardens limit the use of pesticides through a leading Integrated Pest Management Program that uses natural means whenever possible. To conserve energy, Longwood’s innovative root-zone heating system in the conservatory planting beds enables heat to be concentrated on the roots of the plants without having to heat the ambient air.”
The new master plan will help Longwood Gardens “expand the experience” through more of the 1,000 acres of gardens (currently only 27 percent of the total grounds are open to the public), provide a more centralized route for pedestrian traffic, and relocate some building operations. The new plan will lay out a new technology infrastructure within the gardens. Longwood’s educational programs will also be included in the new master plan, with the goal of linking up sustainability education with components of the site.
Paul Redman, Director of Longwood Gardens, said: “West 8 has demonstrated a genuine sensitivity to our heritage, the living legacy of Pierre S. du Pont. We are confident that, with this sensitivity and ingenuity, West 8 will develop a plan that is respectful of our heritage and deeply rooted in our commitment to innovation, design excellence, environmental stewardship and sustainability.”
Adriaan Geuze, Founding Partner and Design Director of West 8, was equally as positive about Longwood: “The idea of Longwood Gardens as a ‘garden as a paradise’ in the context of the regional urban landscape was an attractive aspiration for West 8. Pierre du Pont’s contribution to the legacy here – as a place of imagination, delight and innovation – reflects West 8’s values as designers and is very inspiring.”
Last year, Longwood Gardens drew 885,000 visitors. Learn more about the gardens.
Image credit: Longwood Gardens/L. Albee
