The World’s Biggest Greenhouse Is Introduced at the 2021 Venice Biennale

Tropicalia by Coldefy (Rendering: Octav Tirziu Atelier

The 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale includes many innovative projects that define the theme “how will we live together?” One such project is Tropicalia, a proposal for the biggest tropical greenhouse under the same roof. Curated by Alessandro Possati of Zuecca Projects and Thomas Coldefy of the firm Coldefy, Tropicalia is planned for Northern France’s Côte d’Opale and is set to be completed by 2024.

Tropicalia will provide a unique tropical greenhouse experience with a regular temperature of just under 80°F (26°C). It will feature both tropical plants and fauna such as fish, reptiles, birds, and butterflies. This man-made ecosystem will take up over 200,000 square feet of land and is enclosed by a massive dome.

Tropicalia by Coldefy (Rendering: Octav Tirziu Atelier

At the tallest part of the dome, the internal volume is about 115 feet tall, which means visitors will probably not feel like they are standing inside. This idea is also supported by the lack of interior columns as the dome design eliminates the need for further structural support. Aside from the structural benefits, the double-layer dome helps to thermally seal the interior environment and limit the amount of energy needed to keep the temperatures regular.

If you have the chance to check out the Tropicalia project featured in the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale, you’ll find plenty of research on the artificial environment, structural ideas to support its construction, and beautiful drawings and renderings that help to visualize the design. If you can’t make it to the Biennale yourself, keep scrolling for a sneak peek at some of the design work behind this record-breaking greenhouse concept.