Studio Tectonic, under the project leadership of GLMV Architecture and Unknown Studio, has been awarded the design of an ambitious master plan for the Naples Botanical Garden, in Naples Florida.

In its first two decades, the Botanical Garden has seen tremendous success following the construction of its initial 170-Acres and five gardens. The focused conservation efforts of the Garden’s collections represent the flora of tropical regions between the 26th latitudes. The 2022 Master Plan will build upon this initial foundation, expanding upon key mission areas including conservation of tropical biodiversity, education & research, sustainability, and growth of the garden’s world-class botanical displays.
The project is uniquely suited to tackle some of the most critical issues of our time:
- Conservation of biodiversity—with more than two-thirds of the globe’s biodiversity being in the tropics
- Designing for resilience—of relevance in threatened low-lying coastal Florida
- An inclusive approach to the Botanical Garden—considering representation and conservation in tandem with indigenous and BIPOC knowledge of place in this diverse region.
The Garden’s site is uniquely located at the convergence of three coastal Florida ecotones; situated between rapidly developing central Naples to the north, and seven thousand square miles of conserved landscapes to its south, including the Everglades and the Big Cypress National Preserve, some of the most biodiverse places on the North American continent.
The Naples Botanical Garden works locally to foster community and embrace the natural resources of southern Florida, while also cultivating international partnerships to curate regionally diverse plant collections and preserve the tropical world in microcosm. The team looks forward to helping the Naples Botanical Garden further distinguish itself as a local treasure, and an innovative national and international leader among tropical gardens.
About the project team:
GLMV Architecture Leading design firm who has completed successful projects in forty-nine states, including master planning and exhibit design for botanic gardens, zoos and cultural sites, will serve the role of project lead and architect.
Unknown Studio Landscape architecture practice that collaborates with leading national garden, public, and institutional clients. They will lead the project’s landscape and site design to help envision an experientially powerful, inclusive, and resilient future for the garden.
Tenby Group Specializes in financial planning for botanical gardens and conservation organizations, will oversee business and DEIAJ planning.
J.R. Evans Civil engineering, based near Naples, Florida.
Studio Tectonic Experiential/educational creative services firm out of Boulder, Colorado is responsible for the interpretive design
ETM Associates Institutional operations and maintenance planning.


Images: Seth Frankel/Studio Tectonic
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