Chicago Botanic Garden
Glencoe, IL
Glencoe, IL
The Regenstein Learning Campus at the Chicago Botanic Garden is a seven-acre, LEED Platinum-certified horticultural discovery center and nature playground. Designed to engage families and children of all ages, the campus provides an interactive experience with the natural world, fostering a deep understanding of ecological systems through inquiry-based learning and play. The landscape serves as a regenerative gateway to nature, celebrating creative exploration in every season.
The campus features a variety of landscape typologies, including upland play mounds, a lowland fountain fed by a nearby lake, and sculptural elements that inspire curiosity. At the heart of the campus, a serpentine water feature and large boulders invite discovery, while other active elements like willow tunnels, council rings, and climbable wood logs further enrich the experience. The upper garden includes an apiary, a butterfly garden, and outdoor classrooms for art and gardening. The design emphasizes discovery and imagination, offering a multisensory experience that nurtures both mind and body.
Awards
- GADA
- AN Best of Design
- A’ Design Award
- Architecture Masterprize
- American Architecture Prize
- ASLA
- A+ Architizer
News
- Metropolis: “4 Innovative Urban Landscape Projects…”
- Chicago Tribune: “Chicago Botanic Garden Grows…”
- Chicago Botanic Garden: “Nature Play Garden”
Client : Chicago Botanic Garden
Local LA : Jacobs/Ryan ASSOC
Photo : Kate Joyce
The campus invites hands-on interaction with nature's evolving systems, where sculptural mounds frame the park, creating an immersive educational landscape that serves over 125,000 visitors each year. The landscape’s perimeter features elements such as willow tunnels, an arborvitae contemplative room, and hornbeam council rings, all designed to encourage active engagement with the natural world.
A rich array of native plants defines the park, creating a multisensory experience that engages sight, touch, sound, and smell. Through its resilient design, the nature park invites visitors to reconnect with nature, inspiring creativity and curiosity while offering a year-round environment for learning and growth.
Process
Sketches, models and construction photos of the landforms that shape this landscape.
Sketches, models and construction photos of the landforms that shape this landscape.
