Stephen Day

The Sainsbury Laboratory: Science, Architecture, Art Stephen Day

The book focuses on the building of the new Sainsbury Laboratory in Cambridge's Botanic Garden which opens late 2011. The Laboratory will be the leading international center for the study of plant science, which is enabled by the bequest of the Sainsbury family/institution. The book is split into 3 sections; science, architecture and art. The science refers to the scientific practice of the laboratory, the architecture refers to the cutting edge building and the art to profiled artists who are involved in the project, Norman Ackroyd, Susanna Heron and William Pye. The Botanic Garden first opened in Cambridge in 1762, and shortly after Professor John Stevens Henslow undertook his studies into plants, and planted trees to use as teaching aids - amongst his students was Charles Darwin. Henslow's teachings in Cambridge are thought to be the inspiration on which Darwin set out his own thinking. Henslow's plant specimens will be housed in the Herbarium, which as an important room in the laboratory houses the collection of over one million plant specimens from all over the world and throughout the history of scientific plant study. The book discusses the architecture of the million-dollar project designed and built by Stanton Williams Architects. This section also covers contemporary architectural approaches to scientific and research architecture, the contrast between the scientific and aesthetic resource of the garden and increasing emphasis on sustainability, public accessibility and recreation. The art section of the book focuses on the three artists who have been specially commissioned to provide installations at the centre, Norman Ackroyd, Susanna Heron and William Pye. Royal Academician Norman Ackroyd is interviewed regarding his one-off large-scale etching on steel. Susanna Heron discusses the relationship between art and science and re-interprets hundreds of plant samples from an artist's point of view and an interview with William Pye discusses the nature of his work in relation to the project.