Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory
Detroit
Merit Award
Presented by Ideal hiring
Owner: State of Michigan
Main design company: Forbes Associate Architects
General contractor: Ideal hiring
As one of the oldest conservatories in the country, the Whitcomb Conservatory has undergone several renovations and improvements since it opened in 1904. The conservatory, which is also the oldest continuously operating conservatory in the United States, features a wide variety of exotic plants from around the world and is divided into five distinct sections: the Palm House, the Tropical House, the Cactus House, and the Sun Show Fernery.
The scope of work included addressing the facility’s structural deficiencies, removing existing lead-based paint and asbestos, applying an epoxy coating to all existing structural elements and replacing the conservatory glass with tempered safety glass to extend the life of the building.
Located on Belle Isle in Detroit, the structure’s age and deteriorating conditions made forward planning a challenge. There was limited documentation for the 120-year-old structure, and access to its dome for pre-construction inspection and research was initially impossible.
To address this, the project team erected a cantilever scaffolding system around the conservatory, which provided safe access to the dome and other structural elements. The round shape, divided into 20 segmented sections, added complexity to the system’s layout. Since the exterior scaffolding had to be cantilevered inwards, it was well tied to the building’s interior scaffolding system. This integration also required careful sequencing in the removal and replacement of the upper window.
