Fairchild Garden Receives 2015 City Beautiful Award From The Coral Gables Chamber Of Commerce

MIAMI - Sept. 3, 2015 - PRLog -- Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, one of the premier conservation and education-based gardens in the world and a recognized international leader in both Florida and international conservation, has received the 2015 City Beautiful Award from the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce in the Exterior Commercial Building category for its new Adam R. Rose and Peter R. McQuillan Arts Center.

“It is an honor and privilege to receive this prestigious award for the new Arts Center whose design was inspired by the Florida vernacular architecture of the Garden,” said Nannette M. Zapata, Chief Operating Officer of Fairchild. “The Adam R. Rose and Peter R. McQuillan Arts Center, which is home to art exhibits, music and Fairchild’s rich cultural and botanical exploration history, promotes the arts in the southern part of Miami-Dade County.”

The City Beautiful Award program, presented annually by the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, recognizes exemplary commercial properties in Coral Gables in four categories: Interior, Exterior, Historic Preservation and Showroom/Restaurant. These awards honor shining examples of architectural achievement in commercial properties and outstanding aesthetic charm and beauty that reflect the City Beautiful.

The Adam R. Rose and Peter R. McQuillan Arts Center, which opened in December 2014 and was designed by architect Alberto Cordoves of Corwil Architects, is an example of outstanding architecture, particularly because of its exterior features. According to Cordoves, the building’s design was inspired by the Florida vernacular architecture of the Garden and the adjacent Visitor Center. Fairchild’s Board of Trustees President Bruce Greer calls the Arts Center “beautifully restrained.”

In addition to six original botanical friezes, the Arts Center’s exterior features a pitched flat roof, oolitic limestone walls, cut keystone and window shutters. Together, these elements create the look of a historical building, which compliments Fairchild’s older buildings and the newer DiMare Science Village, a multi-million dollar science and research complex built in 2012 for future environmental leaders in Miami. The Science Village, in combination with the Arts Center, is a vivid example of the cross-pollination of art, science and nature in South Florida.

The Arts Center’s main entrance is on the south side of the building so that it opens up to the Garden. The courtyard is surrounded by an arboretum of bright flowers and broadleaf plants to coincide with the Garden’s many tropical plant exhibits. The covered pergola leads guests to the rest of the 83-acre tropical oasis.

Fairchild’s internationally acclaimed Art at Fairchild program, which works in conjunction with the Arts Center, has been dedicated to introducing the community to the beauty and power of art in a natural setting since 2005. In addition to encouraging plant education and research, Fairchild encourages instilling in others an appreciation for the beauty that art and nature contribute to the world when melded together.

Located on 83 acres in Coral Gables, Fairchild Garden was created in 1938 by Col. Robert Montgomery, a successful businessman with a passion for plant collecting, and his wife Nell Jennings and Dr. David Fairchild, one of the greatest plant explorers of all time.

Fairchild’s core focus areas are Living Collections and Landscapes; Tropical Fruit; Native Plant Conservation History; Education; Special Events; and Volunteer Services.  Over the last 13 years, Fairchild Garden has increased its plant species from 2,900 to 3,400; increased membership from 13,500 to 50,000 members and grown its valued volunteer base from 800 to 1,200, each of whom have donated thousands hours of time to the Garden.

About Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Established in 1938 and comprising 83 acres in Miami, Fla., Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to exploring, explaining and conserving the world of tropical plants. The world-renowned plant collections feature palms, cycads, orchids, tropical fruit trees and more. Fairchild has the largest education program of any metropolitan area, reaching more than 200,000 schoolchildren each year with environmental programs like The Fairchild Challenge. It aims to inspire a greater knowledge and love for plants and gardening so that all can enjoy the beauty and bounty of the tropical world. Special events include Chocolate, Mango, and Orchid Festivals in addition to an annual art exhibition, concerts, plant sales and more. For more information, visit www.fairchild.org.