MILWAUKEE – The Wisconsin Historical Society announces the listing of the Michell Park Horticultural Conservancy in the city of Milwaukee (Milwaukee County) on the State Register of Historic Places. State Historic Preservation Officer Tricia Canaday presented a certificate to Therese Hanson, Claire Tilton and Shannon Winterhalter.
The Michell Park Horticultural Conservancy, nicknamed the Domes, exemplifies the engineering innovations of concrete, aluminum and glass during the mid-century. Architect Donald Grieb was awarded the commission and collaborated with notable engineer Charles Whitney to construct the building from 1964 to1967. The unique conoidal shape presented a solution to hold taller plants without any interior intrusions. Its construction was an achievement in fabricating and installing the precast concrete members with the aluminum and glass skin. The design also included an integrated structural and environment management system that addressed water needs, interior condensation as well as exterior water and snow drainage.
The Domes embody popular Modern Movement styles that include Geodesic Dome, New Formalism and Neo-Expressionism. These stylistic influences are most visible in the three domes, front plaza, and entrance pavilion, respectively, in addition to the construction materials and dramatic dome form. In 1965, Grieb was awarded a patent for the dome construction design, demonstrating its uniqueness and hindering the structure from being replicated elsewhere. The Domes stand today as an iconic building that visibly represents significant contribution to engineering through its method of construction.
Additional information for the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservancy is available here.
Click here to learn more about the State and National Register programs in Wisconsin.
About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.
