The 108-page paperback contains over a dozen three-dimensional images by noted "3-D" photographer David E. Klutho, along with rarely before seen archival images and contemporary photography.
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The Climatron was named one of the 100 most significant architectural achievements in U.S. history by the U.S. Bicentennial Commission of Architects.
The free-standing structure, designed by St. Louis architects Murphy and Mackey, incorporates the principles of R. Buckminster Fuller, who patented the geodesic dome design.
The Climatron rises 70 feet in the center with no interior support, allowing generous light and space for the 24,000 square feet (more than half an acre) of tropical rain forest plants within - an increasing number of which are endangered in the wild.
The experience of setting foot in the conservatory is one of "immersion, sensory abandon, submission to an almost primeval overload of plants, smells, and humidity . . . a fantasy of what nature might have once been, a sensual engulfment . . . ," said Robert Riley, Harvard Design magazine, upon visiting the Climatron.
More than 2,800 plants grow inside the conservatory, where temperatures range from 64 degrees Fahrenheit at night to a high of 85 degrees during the day. The term "Climatron," from the Greek words for "climate" and "machine," was coined to emphasize the climate-control technology of the greenhouse dome.
"Missouri Botanical Garden Climatron: A Celebration of 50 Years" includes a foreword by Dr. Peter H. Raven, Garden president, and is authored by Eric Mumford, Washington University School of Architecture professor. Elizabeth McNulty, "St. Louis Then and Now" author, is a contributing writer.
Archival photos convey the story of the plans, people, art, architecture and engineering that went into the iconic structure, while contemporary pictures provide a glimpse of the Climatron as enjoyed today. A special section of three-dimensional images brings the conservatory to life when viewed through the "3-D" glasses included in each book.
"The Climatron is not only one of the most famous icons in St. Louis, but among the most important architectural achievements in America," said Eric Mumford, author. "It is a gem of mid-century modern design."
"Missouri Botanical Garden Climatron: A Celebration of 50 Years" retails for $19.95 and can be found at the Garden Gate Shop at the Missouri Botanical Garden, www.gardengateshop.org, www.amazon.com, Left Bank Books, Barnes & Noble, Border's and other St. Louis-area retailers.
Publication was made possible in part by a grant from the Gertrude and William A. Bernoudy Foundation.
Author Eric Mumford will hold a book signing Sunday, Dec. 6, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Garden Gate Shop, located in the Ridgway Visitor Center at the Garden.
To learn more about the Climatron, people may visit www.climatron.org.
For more information about the Missouri Botanical Garden, visit www.mobot.org.
