Page 59 - EXPOTIME!Sept2017

New museums New museums

● The Eden Project is a popular visitor attraction in China: Eden Qingdao will explore the theme of water
Cornwall, England: Inside the two biomes are plants that and its importance for life on earth.The project is still on
are collected from many diverse climates and environ- the drawing board, with construction due to begin later
ments. The biomes consist of hundreds of hexagonal and this year. As with similar projects it will link with other
pentagonal, inflated, plastic cells supported by steel Eden Project centres around the world, sharing content
frames. The largest of the two biomes simulates a Rain- and programmes. This will be an Eden Project for China
forest environment and the second, a Mediterranean en- but with a global relevancy.
vironment. The attraction also has an outside botanical
garden which is home to many plants and wildlife native The second major project in China is in the historic city
to Cornwall and the UK in general; it also has many plants of Yan’an, famed for being the end of Chairman Mao’s
that provide an important and interesting backstory, for Long March and north of the Xian, home of the terracot-
example, those with a prehistoric heritage. Now Corn- ta warriors. This project will explore the theme of land
wall’s iconic Eden Project is set to be replicated in China, and soil and its importance for life on earth. The project
Australia and New Zealand, with further developments will showcase ecological restoration as a vital tool for
being planned in the Middle East, North America and the future and restore a degraded site just outside the
the UK. Eden Project International Ltd (EPIL) is the new city into a fertile valley full of flowers, agriculture, craft
entity, formed to partner with like-minded organisations and education. A feasibility report is complete and Eden
and conservation groups across the globe and establish Project International is now ready to present its plans.
new parks that “deliver social and ecological benefits Like Eden Qingdao, It will link with other Edens around
during a time of global environmental decline and social the world, sharing content and programmes.
disruption.” The company has linked up with design firm
Grimshaw Architects, creators of the original Eden Pro- The third Eden project in China is based at Sheng Lu
ject. Eden Project executive director David Harland has Vineyard in Beijing. The aim is to create a place to re-
taken up the role of CEO of EPIL.In its first 16 years, the connect with nature. Education and training programmes
Eden Project attracted more than 19 million visitors and will run from here, offering the chance for children and
generated £1.7bn for the regional economy. In 2016/17, adults to play in natural environment. Eden has been
accounts showed a cash surplus from trading of more asked to provide support in turning the vineyard into
than £1.6m. During 2016, four per cent more people than a profitable and educational visitor attraction as well
the previous year visited and, for the first time since as supporting education and offering horticultural and
2011, Eden welcomed more than one million visitors in a landscaping advice.
12-month period.

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EXPOTIME!, issue August/September 2017