MEDICINAL BOTANICAL GARDENS – UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO
This garden for medicinal plants is located within the University of Puerto Rico’s Botanical Gardens in Rio Piédras. The site – the original medicinal garden, owned by the College of Pharmacy – is 1,181 sq. m. irregular plot of land adjacent to the Sculpture Gardens on the south side of the botanical gardens.
The main objective was to rebuild the original medicinal gardens to provide a place for the advancement of curative plant investigation that could serve both the academic community and educate the general public. To this end the garden includes a 1,600 sq.ft. pavilion, and the reconstruction of 11 concrete planters for medicinal plant propagation. The pavilion houses a roofed open terrace for general activities, a multi-use auditorium, office, and storage. The overall design approach was to merge the structure with nature – through the use of natural materials, color, and water – in the implication of a living ruin within the garden.
