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The Hive to celebrate the life of bees at new Kew Gardens home
POSTED 29 Jan 2016 . BY Kim Megson
The Hive won the BIE Gold Award for Architecture and Landscape at the 2015 Milan Expo Credit: Wolfgang Buttress
The Hive – Wolfgang Buttress’ award-winning multi-sensory pavilion – is to be given a new home within London’s Kew Gardens.

The structure was the centrepiece of the UK’s entry at the six-month long 2015 Milan Expo, where it attracted more than 3.3m visitors and was awarded the BIE Gold Award for Architecture and Landscape.

It will be displayed at Kew – a UNESCO World Heritage Site containing 132 hectares of landscaped gardens – from June 2016.

The 17m (55.7ft) high, 40 tonne aluminium structure was inspired by British scientific research into the health of bees and their role in pollinating crops essential to human survival.

Visitors are taken on an experiential journey through the life of a bee colony, from an outside orchard and wildflower meadow into the hive itself, while orchestral buzzes and pulses fill the air.

More than 1,000 LED lights are illuminated within The Hive, changing in sound and light intensity to relay information triggered by vibration sensors in a real beehive.

The pavilion was created in collaboration with architects BDP, engineers Simmonds Studio and constructors Stage One, who built the structure from 115,000 individual components.

“We are truly delighted to announce The Hive’s move to Kew, both for its magnificent aesthetic appeal and for the resonance it has with our work – I can think of no better home for this remarkable marriage of architecture and science,” said Richard Deverell, director of the scientific organisation Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

“The Hive creates a powerful, immersive space for us to explore the urgent issues we face in relation to pollinators, their intimate relationships with plants and their vital role in helping us feed a rapidly growing population. To be able to bring those stories alive here at Kew – a centre of scientific knowledge and expertise and one of the planet’s most biodiverse city landscapes – is a true honour.”

Kew scientists will use The Hive as a platform to share their research into the life of bees and how they can be protected.

"It is fantastic that more of the UK public will have the opportunity to experience The Hive for themselves in the perfect setting at Kew,” said Lord Maude, the UK’s minister of state for trade and investment.

“The Milan Expo focused on sustainable ways of feeding a growing global population whilst protecting our environment. I cannot think of a better home for it now that the Expo is over.”

The pavilion explores life within a beehive Credit: Wolfgang Buttress
Kew Gardens receives 1.5m visits every year Credit: Daniel Case
PROJECT PROFILE:

Milan Expo 2015
The team behind the upcoming Milan Expo is putting the finishing touches to the world fair before its debut in May. Masterplaned by a team consisting of Jacques Herzog, Mark Rylander, Ricky Burdett, Stefano Boeri, and William McDonough, each pavillion will range from 400sq m (4,305sq ft) to 6,000sq m (64,583 sq ft), with around 50 per cent of the Expo area occupied by pavilions. 35 per cent of the area is dedicated to external space, while 15 per cent comprises a green perimeter around the expo site. In addition, the site will include a large artificial lake surrounded by 20 pavilions representing each of the Italian regions, a 12,000-seat amphitheatre and a 6,000 seat auditorium. Pavilion design: Azerbaijan - Simmetrico Network Slovenia - SoNo Arhitekti Israel - Knafo Klimor-Design Czech Republic - Chybik + Kristof Spain - b720 US - Biber Architects Vietnam - Vo Trong Nghai China - Daniel Libeskind/Studio Link-Arc Italy - Nemesi & Partners Austria - team.breathe.austria UK - Wolfgang Buttress Thailand - The Office of Bangkok Architects (OBA) Iran - Naqsh,E,Jahan-Pars (NJP) UAE - Foster + Partners

Location: Italy

RELATED STORIES
  UK pavilion The Hive wins gold at Milan Expo awards


One of the top architecture prizes at the 2015 Milan Expo has been awarded to the Hive; the UK pavilion created by artist Wolfgang Buttress, engineers Simmonds Studio and architects BDP.
  TEA SATE Academy Day coming to Milan Expo in September


The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) is holding another of its SATE (Storytelling, Architecture, Technology, Experience) Academy Days in September, this time hosted at the 2015 Milan Expo.
  FEATURE: Milan Expo 2015: Milan Expo 2015


It’s has its share of problems, but the Milan Expo is now in full swing. Magali Robathan and Alice Davis take a look around and speak to some of the designers
  Buttress and BDP's Hive pavilion generates buzz ahead of Milan Expo


Exploring the crucial role of a bee colony in the global ecosystem, artist Wolfgang Buttress and architects BDP have created a hive structure to serve as the centrepiece of the UK’s pavilion at the upcoming Milan Expo.
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Uniting the world of spa & wellness
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News   Products   Magazine   Subscribe
NEWS
The Hive to celebrate the life of bees at new Kew Gardens home
POSTED 29 Jan 2016 . BY Kim Megson
The Hive won the BIE Gold Award for Architecture and Landscape at the 2015 Milan Expo Credit: Wolfgang Buttress
The Hive – Wolfgang Buttress’ award-winning multi-sensory pavilion – is to be given a new home within London’s Kew Gardens.

The structure was the centrepiece of the UK’s entry at the six-month long 2015 Milan Expo, where it attracted more than 3.3m visitors and was awarded the BIE Gold Award for Architecture and Landscape.

It will be displayed at Kew – a UNESCO World Heritage Site containing 132 hectares of landscaped gardens – from June 2016.

The 17m (55.7ft) high, 40 tonne aluminium structure was inspired by British scientific research into the health of bees and their role in pollinating crops essential to human survival.

Visitors are taken on an experiential journey through the life of a bee colony, from an outside orchard and wildflower meadow into the hive itself, while orchestral buzzes and pulses fill the air.

More than 1,000 LED lights are illuminated within The Hive, changing in sound and light intensity to relay information triggered by vibration sensors in a real beehive.

The pavilion was created in collaboration with architects BDP, engineers Simmonds Studio and constructors Stage One, who built the structure from 115,000 individual components.

“We are truly delighted to announce The Hive’s move to Kew, both for its magnificent aesthetic appeal and for the resonance it has with our work – I can think of no better home for this remarkable marriage of architecture and science,” said Richard Deverell, director of the scientific organisation Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

“The Hive creates a powerful, immersive space for us to explore the urgent issues we face in relation to pollinators, their intimate relationships with plants and their vital role in helping us feed a rapidly growing population. To be able to bring those stories alive here at Kew – a centre of scientific knowledge and expertise and one of the planet’s most biodiverse city landscapes – is a true honour.”

Kew scientists will use The Hive as a platform to share their research into the life of bees and how they can be protected.

"It is fantastic that more of the UK public will have the opportunity to experience The Hive for themselves in the perfect setting at Kew,” said Lord Maude, the UK’s minister of state for trade and investment.

“The Milan Expo focused on sustainable ways of feeding a growing global population whilst protecting our environment. I cannot think of a better home for it now that the Expo is over.”

The pavilion explores life within a beehive Credit: Wolfgang Buttress
Kew Gardens receives 1.5m visits every year Credit: Daniel Case
RELATED STORIES
UK pavilion The Hive wins gold at Milan Expo awards


One of the top architecture prizes at the 2015 Milan Expo has been awarded to the Hive; the UK pavilion created by artist Wolfgang Buttress, engineers Simmonds Studio and architects BDP.
TEA SATE Academy Day coming to Milan Expo in September


The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) is holding another of its SATE (Storytelling, Architecture, Technology, Experience) Academy Days in September, this time hosted at the 2015 Milan Expo.
FEATURE: Milan Expo 2015: Milan Expo 2015


It’s has its share of problems, but the Milan Expo is now in full swing. Magali Robathan and Alice Davis take a look around and speak to some of the designers
Buttress and BDP's Hive pavilion generates buzz ahead of Milan Expo


Exploring the crucial role of a bee colony in the global ecosystem, artist Wolfgang Buttress and architects BDP have created a hive structure to serve as the centrepiece of the UK’s pavilion at the upcoming Milan Expo.
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+ More featured suppliers  
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FIBO is the international platform for fitness, wellness and health. During four days, FIBO connects [more...]
+ More profiles  
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+ More catalogues  

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+ More directory  
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09-11 Jun 2026

World Sauna Forum 2026

Savutuvan Apaja, Haapaniemi, Finland
09-12 Jun 2026

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+ More diary  
 


ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

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Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026

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