Great Pagoda at Kew Gardens in London Undergoes Major Restoration

Marjorie G. Rosen is a community-focused individual who was active with the New York Botanical Garden for many years and is knowledgeable as a plant collector. Among Marjorie G. Rosen’s past volunteer activities was serving on the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew’s Friends and Foundation Board.

The largest UNESCO World Heritage site within the London metropolitan area, the Botanic Garden is dedicated to conserving plants and fungi, and educating visitors on their value. The property also has numerous structures of historical interest, including the Great Pagoda at Kew Gardens, which is currently undergoing a renovation that has included structural work and copperwork, as well as a restoration of the landmark to its original design.

Completed in 1762, the Great Pagoda was based on a Sir William Chambers design intended as a gift to Princess Augusta, who established the botanic gardens. The original 163-foot-tall Pagoda featured 80 colorful wooden dragons, none of which has survived into the present. A current project centers on the creation of replacement dragons, 72 of which are placed on upper levels and have been printed using 3-D lasers. The remaining eight lower-level dragons span two meters each and have been hand-hewn from cedar. The Pagoda is expected to reopen to the public by mid-2018.