Eden Project is a nature complex and tourist attraction in the United Kingdom . The complex lies near the town of St. Austell in the southwestern unitary authority (local government area) of Cornwall . It opened in 2001. The Eden Project is a “living laboratory ” that celebrates the relationship between people and their natural environment . Exhibits in the complex show how plants are used in everyday life. The Eden Project stresses the importance of conservation , ecology , and sustainable development. The complex is famous for its two indoor biomes featuring plants from around the world. A biome is a community of living things.
The Eden Project sprawls some 35 acres (14 hectares) within the massive crater of a former kaolinite mining pit. Kaolin, or china clay , is a soft, white clay made up primarily of the mineral kaolinite. It is used to make ceramics and paper. The reclaimed pit, once barren, now bursts with natural life. Most of the complex is outdoors, with paths wandering through gardens, fields, and woods. A number of sculptures stand along the paths. An area called Wild Cornwall contains such local flora as gorse and hazel , as well as ash , oak , and willow trees.
The Eden Project’s indoor biomes are giant greenhouse domes that enclose about 5.5 acres (2.2 hectares). They contain a waterfall, gardens, ponds, trees, sculptures, and walking paths. The clear geodesic domes are rounded shell structures with a lightweight exterior framework of steel tubing connected into hexagons , pentagons , and triangles . A transparent cushion made of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), a highly durable plastic, covers each of the geometrical spaces between the steel supports.
The larger of the two indoor biomes is the Rainforest Biome. It is the world’s largest greenhouse and largest indoor rain forest. The hot, humid biome contains such tropical plants as bananas , coffee , orchids , and sugar cane . It also has rubber and palm trees. The smaller, dryer Mediterranean Biome contains numerous plants native to the warm temperate climate of the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It also has plants from similar climate regions in South Africa and near the California coast of the United States. It has cork , lemon , and olive trees, plus grape vines, herbs , and other plants.
Another large building in the Eden Project is an education center called the Core. The Core’s attractions include a giant nutcracker machine and a 77-ton (70-metric ton) granite sculpture called Seed. The building includes a cafe and a film room, as well as space for art exhibits. The nearby Visitor Centre also has a cafe.
The Eden Project’s amphitheater has hosted concerts by a variety of popular bands. The concerts are known as the Eden Sessions. In winter, part of the amphitheater is iced over to form a skating rink.
