Garfield Park Conservatory

The Garfield Park Conservatory, built in 1907, is one of the largest and most stunning conservatories in the U.S.  Often referred to as “landscape art under glass,” the conservatory features six glassed-in greenhouses and two exhibition halls for public and private events.  The conservatory is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

RRJ was retained by the contractor to investigate, evaluate, and perform water penetration testing on the sloped glazing system at the historic Fern Room and Desert House at the conservatory to determine the cause of the water leakage.  The sloped glazing system enclosing the greenhouses consists of approximately 12,000 square feet of glazing material that was replaced with new glass and copper glazing components.

RRJ consulted on the review of the replacement design of the glazing system.  Based on testing results and visual examination, RRJ recommended remedial approaches to address the leakage problems associated with the replacement system.