The San Francisco Botanical Garden Nursery is a high-performance "living machine," an advanced facility engineered to support a critical conservation mission. Designed to replace a dilapidated 40-year-old greenhouse, this state-of-the-art project provides a new home for first-class cultivation and the protection of rare and endemic plant species unique to San Francisco's coastal climate.¹ The project strategically consolidated the Garden's growing and maintenance facilities, separating them from public areas to enhance both operational efficiency and the visitor experience.⁸

At the heart of the 7,615-square-foot facility is what may be California's first all-electric greenhouse, a pioneering step forward in sustainable horticultural design. The entire project was conceived as an integrated living system, incorporating passive ventilation strategies, efficient hydronic heating, and precise climate zone controls to create an optimal, plant-centric environment.¹ The architecture, comprising a metal-framed Headhouse and an aluminum-framed greenhouse, directly supports the Garden's mission to connect people with plants and advance global conservation efforts.⁸

Praxis's principal, Seth Dunn, served as Program Manager for this project while at Siegel & Strain Architects, providing leadership from the initial Conceptual Design phase through Construction Administration.¹ This role required overseeing the entire lifecycle of a technically complex and innovative project. The experience of delivering a pioneering sustainable facility for a specialized, mission-driven client demonstrates the capacity of Praxis to lead projects that push the boundaries of design and technology.

‍