Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square has recently completed a $250 million expansion that perfectly balances elegance and contemporary design with its historic charm, writes Michael J. Lewis for The Wall Street Journal. 

Originally opened by Pierre du Pont, the philanthropically minded industrialist, in 1954, Longwood Gardens has since evolved into one of the world’s great botanical gardens. It boasts a wooded landscape of almost 1,200 acres, gorgeous horticultural displays, stunning fountains, and a vigorous research program. 

The expansion added 17 acres of new gardens, along with a new conservatory, restaurants, and other buildings. These additions are the perfect example of how contemporary architecture, when done thoughtfully, can enhance a beloved campus without compromising the features that made it so popular in the first place. 

The best example is the new West Conservatory, done as a collaboration between Reed Hilderbrand, a prominent landscape architect business, and Weiss/Manfredi, a New York architecture firm that recently completed the new visitor center at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. 

The remarkable building starts off as a sleek glass pavilion that melts away under a berm, transforming from architecture into landscape. 

Read more about Longwood Gardens finally opening its $250 million expansion in The Wall Street Journal. 

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