.jpg)
BELLEVUE, Wash. – Olson Kundig Architects has announced plans are underway to improve the Bellevue Botanical Garden and the garden’s society is actively working to meet fundraising goals.
The public project includes a new visitor center complex, with renovations to a building by Northwest master architect Paul Kirk, and extensive site work. The improvements will allow the Bellevue Botanical Garden to serve greater numbers of visitors, expand educational programs for adults and children, highlight a growing collection of natural specimens, and serve as a natural oasis in a growing city. The project is targeting LEED silver certification or higher.
Jim Olson, founder of Olson Kundig Architects, led the design of the project. “The Bellevue Botanical Garden has the potential to become one of the finest botanical gardens in the world,” Olson said. “I grew up in the Northwest and have spent my life exploring ways to bring architecture and nature closer together, to blur the distinction of indoors and outdoors and to frame nature so that its beauty is celebrated.”