As part of our ongoing exploration of design and architecture, the DA team headed west to see The Hive, a multi-sensory structure designed by UK based artist Wolfgang Buttress for the UK Pavilion at the 2015 Milan Expo. After critical success at the expo, all 170,000 parts were dismantled and rebuilt in Kew Gardens in Richmond, where it now resides.
After the positive acclaim it received, it seemed like a good opportunity to jump on the District Line to leafy Zone 3 to see it for ourselves.
Inspired by scientific research into the health and lifecycle of bees, it is an intricate 17m high aluminium lattice that forms a
pavilion representing the interior architecture of a bee colony. The interior is adorned with LED lights that glow and fade alongside a soundtrack of bees humming from beehive behind the scenes.
After exploring The Hive, we also took the opportunity to explore the rest of Kew Gardens, including John Pawson’s Sackler Crossing and Marks Barfield Architects’ Treetop Walkway.
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