2025 Midwest Best Projects
Award of Merit, Renovation/Restoration: Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory
Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory
Detroit
Award of Merit
Submitted by Ideal Contracting
Owner: State of Michigan
Lead Design Firm: Forbes Associates Architects
General Contractor: Ideal Contracting
As one of the oldest glasshouses in the country, the Whitcomb Conservatory has undergone several renovations and upgrades since it first opened in 1904. The conservatory, which is also the oldest continually running U.S. conservatory, features a variety of exotic plant life from around the world and is divided into five distinct sections: the Palm House, the Tropical House, the Cactus House, a sunken Fernery, and the Show House.
Scope of work included addressing structural deficiencies within the facility, removing existing lead-based paint and asbestos, applying epoxy coating to all existing structural members and replacing the conservatory’s glazing with tempered safety glass to extend the building’s lifespan.
Located on Belle Isle in Detroit, the structure’s age and deteriorating conditions made advanced planning a challenge. There was limited as-built documentation for the 120-year-old structure, and access to its dome for inspection and investigation prior to construction was initially impossible.
To work around that, the project team erected a cantilevered scaffolding system around the conservatory, which provided safe access to the dome and other structural elements. The round shape, divided into 20 segmented sections, added complexity to the system’s layout. Since the exterior scaffolding had to cantilever inward, it was securely tied into the building’s interior scaffolding system. This integration also required careful sequencing on the upper window removal and replacement.
