Kew's Millennium Seed Bank Partnership - Seed bank design in Georgia

Located in the heart of one of the world’s 34 biodiversity hotspots, Georgia is host to numerous plant species known nowhere else on the planet. The region is internationally recognised as holding a remarkable reservoir of biodiversity.

Front view of original Caucasus Regional Seed Bank in Georgia (Image: M.Tavartkiladze)

In 2001 the Caucasus Regional Seed Bank was established to conserve the incredible plant diversity of this region. The team has been working with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Millennium Seed Bank since 2007, and the seed bank now holds seed collections from over 1,000 species.

The existing seed bank is located centrally on a plateau, within the Botanic Garden at the edge of the old part of Tbilisi city. Despite being over one hundred years old, the building is in keeping with the gardens. The gardens are fairly large with a range of landscapes and are very undulating with valleys and rocky outcrops.

New main entrance (Image: M.Tavartkiladze)

The clean and dusty elements of work are separated in the new laboratories which also include a dry room. Ultimately, the finished building is expected to house 8 to 10 scientific staff.

Ambient temperatures in Georgia vary from greater than 40°C in summer to below -100°C in winter. Consequently, Keith Manger designed the new extension to the seed bank so that it was well insulated and therefore energy-saving while, importantly, retaining the design of the original building.