Pennsylvania, USA

Expanding upon the language of the gardens with several strategic additions and renovations, Longwood Reimagined includes a new conservatory, historic cascade garden, restaurant, and administration building. 

Longwood Gardens West Conservatory by Weiss/Manfredi, won an 2026 International Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.

Central to this transformed campus, Longwood Gardens’ new, 32,000-square-foot West Conservatory sits atop a topographically dramatic ridge and hovers over a rectangular pool of water.

The Conservatory’s crystalline silhouette, doubled by its reflection in the water, also amplifies the surrounding landscape’s impact. 

The pleated and undulating glass roof reconciles the legacy of the Lord & Burnham production greenhouses, while inside, and unique garden under glass evokes the character of the Mediterranean.

The architects were inspired by the sense of discovery and innovation that are defining signatures of Longwood Gardens.

A pleated roof, branching columns, and tapered perspectives extend the marriage of architecture and horticulture that is intrinsic to Longwood’s identity. 

Supported by a series of curved frames, the West Conservatory is a living, breathing building that integrates passive systems for thermal regulation, including operable windows and shutters, automated shades, a thermal blanket, earth ducts, and a geothermal ground source heat pump system.

Rainwater is collected and reclaimed for project-wide use.

Project: Longwood Gardens West Conservatory
Architects: Weiss/Manfredi
Lead Architect: Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi
Project Manager: Todd Hoehn 
Senior Project Architects and Team Leaders: Joe Vessell, Justin Kwok, and Andrew Ruggles  
Core Design Team: Tomoko Akiba, Eileen Witte, and Sergio Saucedo
Landscape Architects: Reed Hilderbrand LLC.
General Contractor: Bancroft Construction
Client: Longwood Gardens
Photographers: Albert Vecerka and Sahar Coston-Hardy