Ayla Hendrickson – Glass House Intern Project

In the main hallway, near the butterfly display case, visitors to Reiman Gardens can view ambitious plans for the Gardens’ future, which are well underway with the ongoing construction of the new Hillside Garden. With exciting developments in the rest of the Gardens, the original Hughes Conservatory could use its own update!

As the glass house intern and a fourth-year architecture student, I have a few ideas to contribute as part of my internship leadership project. I’ve been conducting a post-occupancy study of the Conservatory in order to better understand how visitors use the space, how much time they spend there, and what they look at.

I have also been working on a proposal for an updated flood lighting scheme. Moving around the existing flood lights that are located in the Conservatory’s beds is definitely a hands-on approach to design I haven’t been able to experience in studio! Since the Conservatory frequently changes display, my strategy is to find the best ways to highlight the permanent plant collection, like the giant birds of paradise, as well as the structure of the building itself. In more ways than one, the future of the Gardens is definitely… bright!