NYBG Haupt Conservatory

The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, built in 1902, is a New York City Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Victorian conservatory’s structure – wood, glass, and metal – is subject not only to the variations of New York weather, but also to the humid interior conditions that allow its tropical plant collection to thrive. The building therefore undergoes regular maintenance and repairs.

The central pavilion within the Haupt Conservatory is known as the Palm Dome. From top to bottom, the 90-foot-tall dome’s four sections of structure are its cupola, upper dome, drum (compression ring), and main dome, which measures roughly 100 feet in diameter.

We served as the prime consultant for an ambitious investigation and analysis project that provided access to previously inaccessible exterior and interior areas of the conservatory’s Palm Dome to allow for observation and condition verification of structural members. Our engineers coordinated a large team of consultants including architects, industrial rope access technicians, corrosion consultants, and metals testing professionals.

Using the information gathered during the investigatory phase, we performed a detailed structural analysis of the dome structure and produced a report that identified repairs and recommendations for the NYBG’s use in long-term maintenance planning. Restoration work is now complete.