Buildings are rooted in a simple function—providing shelter—and conservatories do just that. Originally built as windowed wood structures designed to protect delicate greenery from European winters in the 17th century, conservatories have blossomed into works of art in their own right, thanks to a combination of impressive engineering feats and innovative architectural design. In the new book The Conservatory: Gardens Under Glass (Princeton Architectural Press, $60), authors Alan Stein and Nancy Virts, founders of design firm Tanglewood Conservatories, examine the development of conservatories from their humble roots to their global expansion as awe-inspiring glass palaces to the avant-garde structures crafted by top architects today.
“Occasionally in history, there is a fortuitous confluence that brings together the potent and energetic streams of capability, creativity, opportunity, fashion, and desire,” writes Richard Barley, director of horticulture, learning, and operations at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in the foreword to the book. “Fueled by the fluid forces of ambition and aspiration, the projects in this book represent exactly such a confluence.”
Here, take a peek at some of the best conservatories from its pages.