TED Talks: Building Wonder Season 1 Episode 2 Thomas Heatherwick: Building the Seed Cathedral

Thomas Heatherwick is the designer and architect behind the Seed Cathedral, a stunning pavilion made for the UK's 2010 Shanghai Expo. In this episode, he describes the process of creating this unique structure and the inspiration behind its design. Heatherwick explains that the pavilion is meant to represent the diversity and significance of the world's plant life, and his team wanted to create a building that not only looked beautiful, but also had a powerful message.

The Seed Cathedral is made up of 60,000 transparent acrylic rods, each one containing a seed from the Royal Botanic Gardens - the largest surviving seed bank in the world. The rods stand upright and sway in the wind like a forest, allowing glimpses of light and color to filter through. Visitors can walk inside the pavilion and experience the sensation of being surrounded by nature, while also appreciating the beauty of the structure itself.

The making of the Seed Cathedral wasn't easy, however. Heatherwick and his team faced numerous challenges throughout the building process, such as finding a way to transport the delicate seeds to China without damaging them. They also had to figure out how to construct a building with such intricate details and complex shapes.

Despite these obstacles, the Seed Cathedral was a huge success, drawing crowds from all over the world and winning numerous awards. Heatherwick reflects on the impact the building had on people, and how it sparked conversations about the importance of protecting our planet's biodiversity.

Throughout the episode, Heatherwick shares insights into his design philosophy and the methods he uses to create truly unique and innovative structures. He talks about the importance of experimentation and taking risks in order to push the boundaries of what's possible in architecture.

Overall, this episode of TED Talks: Building Wonder offers a fascinating look at the creative process behind one of the world's most innovative buildings. From its breathtaking beauty to its powerful message about the importance of nature, the Seed Cathedral is a testament to the power of design to inspire wonder and awe.