Building a new Eden

Written By
Tyrene Homewood

Published On
18 March 2026

The Eden Project may have sprung from a dreamlike vision, but it needed cold, hard practicality to bring it to life.

The conditions were extremely challenging. The foundations were 1km long, sunk into sticky, springy mud. Because there was almost no level ground in the clay pit, the structure of the biomes was designed to echo that of soap bubbles, able to adapt to the shape of any surface they settle on.

The largest birdcage scaffolding in the world – 230 miles’ worth – was required to shelter the two giant greenhouses as they slowly took shape. Glass would have been too heavy, so the panes were made of the thermoplastic ETFE, set into steel armature so light it weighs only a little more than the air it contains – yet so strong it can withstand rough Cornish winds and deep snowfall.

A visitors’ centre and education centre were built alongside the biomes, and then surrounded by 83,000 tonnes of soil, made from waste materials and transforming the barren landscape into a fertile home for 40 acres of stunning plants

Construction on such a grand scale needed significant funding. The vision, skills and dedication of Tim and his team won over the Millennium Commission (a grant-making body funded by the UK’s National Lottery) which backed Eden with £37.5m; its subsequent contributions brought the total to £56m. Further financial support came from the EU, the Southwest Regional Development Agency and commercial loans.

Throughout the lengthy process of raising money, purchasing the site, drawing up the designs, seeking planning approval, and engaging contractors, Tim refused to be bogged down in bureaucracy and instead insisted on an atmosphere of common sense and collaboration.

“I thought I would do something rather human,” says Tim, “and I went to see the boss of Sir
Robert McAlpine, which was the biggest and best contractor in the country. I said, ‘If you
were me, what questions would I be asking you in order to build this on time and on budget?’
He told me and I said, ‘Let’s do that then’.

I feel really privileged to have watched it evolve and grow over 25 years and seeing the tenacity and passion carry on. It’s not ours anymore – it's everybody’s.

Dr Jo Elworthy, Chief Science Engagement Officer, the Eden Project, UK

And that is what happened: Eden was built exactly as agreed

The gift of hope

The Eden Project has delivered far more than its founders could have dreamed when they first sat around that pub table, scribbling their ideas on napkins.

Around 350 people work at the site, with a further 150 volunteering. Since the grand opening in 2001, more than 23 million visitors have flocked there, generating over £2 billion to the Cornish economy and helping to power the region’s economic renaissance.

Far more than a visitor attraction, Eden runs education programmes, nature recovery projects and community projects in many different locations. Jo says: “I feel really privileged to have watched it evolve and grow over 25 years and seeing the tenacity and passion carry on. It’s not ours anymore – it's everybody’s.”

As the climate and nature crisis deepens, communities feel driven to take radical action. In response, the Eden Project has been cultivating offshoots with teams in different areas of the UK and around the world. The aim is to increase biodiversity, promote ecological rehabilitation and support local livelihoods – as well as spreading the message far and wide that transformation is possible when we work together. So far, these ‘new Edens’ have taken
root in: Morecombe, Lancashire; Dundee, Scotland; Qingdao, China; and Costa Rica.

“Wherever we go, you see something really interesting,” says Tim. “At first everybody says, ‘The Eden project’s coming! The Eden Project’s coming!’ But very soon, they’re not talking about the Eden Project, it’s their project. We just disappear like a mist. All they needed was a handrail which made them feel they weren’t stupid, someone was holding them, and suddenly they’re flying free. Wherever we go, there are smart people. There are people all over the world who can do marvellous things.”

At first everybody says, ‘The Eden project’s coming! The Eden Project’s coming!’ But very soon, they’re not talking about the Eden Project, it’s their project. We just disappear like a mist. All they needed was a handrail which made them feel they weren’t stupid, someone was holding them, and suddenly they’re flying free. Wherever we go, there are smart people. There are people all over the world who can do marvellous things.

Sir Tim Smit, Co-founder, the Eden Project, UK

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