"This is a milestone: in terms of scale, complexity, and ambition"

Edenya is the name of the new botanical greenhouse at Pairi Daiza in Belgium. With a ground surface of 40,000 m² and a height of 25 metres, Edenya is described as the largest tropical greenhouse in the world. The structure will become home to a wide range of plants as well as several animal species. The greenhouse was built by Deforche Construction Group from Izegem, Belgium, and the project took three and a half years to complete.

"What we have achieved here is unprecedented," says CEO Jeroen De Cock. "The final result is impressive and demonstrates our technical expertise. It will also open new doors for us."

Edenya forms a new tropical environment within Pairi Daiza, featuring waterfalls, rivers and a jungle habitat with rare animals. In addition to the flora and fauna, the building itself stands out due to its distinctive architecture. "Visitors will be amazed. Edenya brings design, functionality, climate, people and animals together in harmony within one enormous structure," De Cock explains.

Deforche Construction Group, based in West Flanders, was responsible for the development of the greenhouse. "This was far from a straightforward assignment. On the one hand, we had to respect the architectural vision. On the other, there were major technical challenges related to safety, sustainability, light quality and comfort."

High-level engineering
Work on the project lasted three and a half years. During this period, Forzon – the division within Deforche Construction Group specialising in glass roof structures – translated the design into a feasible construction process.

"This included the complete engineering phase, such as calculating structural loads, defining configurations in glass, steel and aluminium, and developing technical solutions for a number of complex construction details," De Cock says. Prefabrication and installation were also coordinated by Forzon, ensuring close alignment between design and execution.

The assembly of Edenya combined techniques from football stadium construction and greenhouse building. "To gain speed, we opted for lightweight construction elements and large prefabricated modules," explains project manager Stijn Cappon. "These modules now span around 2,500 m² of roof surface. They were first assembled at ground level and then lifted individually to a height of 20 metres, each operation taking about ten minutes."

This approach offered several advantages. "It allowed us to build the roof structure and the underlying areas in parallel, independently of weather conditions, which helped the project progress efficiently."

The glass used for Edenya was developed specifically for this project. "The glass roof plays a crucial role," Cappon continues. "It provides insulation while also regulating sunlight and UV radiation." Proper UV control is essential for the wellbeing of both plants and animals.

"Standard glazing does not filter enough UV and could be harmful to flora and fauna. Our aim was to recreate nature as realistically as possible and to ensure the animals feel comfortable. That is why the glass roof was also designed with easy maintenance in mind. It can be cleaned using robots, so the animals are not disturbed."

Looking to the future
The glass used in Edenya is also cradle-to-cradle certified, and the structure itself – built from steel and aluminium – is largely recyclable. "We constructed Edenya according to circular principles. Not only because this was required, but because these principles are part of our DNA," says De Cock. "We are building for several generations who will experience nature here in a unique way."

In this respect, the construction company considers the project a success. The modular design and lightweight structure ensure efficient use of materials, while ventilation, water recovery and energy management systems help optimise resource consumption. "The result is a paradise, with minimal impact on the environment."

Edenya is now open to the public. "We hope that visitors not only admire the natural beauty, but also take a moment to reflect on the building itself," De Cock concludes. "This project required years of intensive work, and we hope that this iconic realisation will further strengthen our company's profile, both in Belgium and internationally."

Edenya in numbers

With a ground area of 40,000 m² and a height of 25 meters, Edenya is the largest tropical greenhouse in the world.
The roof structure consists of 16 modules, each spanning 2,500 m², assembled at ground level and lifted in segments to a height of 20 meters within ten minutes.
Assembling the modules on the ground took three weeks. Cladding a module and finishing at a height of 20 meters took 2.5 months per module.
Each facade required a construction time of two months. The total construction duration of the project was 3.5 years.
The project utilizes high-quality and sustainable materials, such as cradle-to-cradle certified glass. Steel can be recycled 90%, aluminum 95%.
The construction is supported by 'tree' pillars, with spans of 48 meters and 51 meters.
The frame is three-dimensional, with a gold lacquered finish.
The roof cladding consists of insulated sun-protective and UV-regulating safety glass (8 mm / 15 mm / 55.2 mm).
The wall cladding consists of insulated sun-protective safety glass (8 mm / 18 mm / 5 mm).
Insulated gutters with a width of 1.20 meters were placed, and custom sliding smoke hatches, measuring 7 meters by 6 meters, were developed.

Two world records
At Pairi Daiza in Belgium, Anouk de Timary, Official Adjudicator for Guinness World Records, presented certificates for two world records to Eric Domb and Marc Coucke, recognising the scale and scope of the Edenya project.

World Record 1: Largest Tropical Greenhouse in the World
With a length of 206 metres, a width of 192 metres and a height of 24 metres, Edenya is officially recognised as the largest tropical greenhouse in the world. The structure forms a vast glass-covered environment where thousands of animals, rare plant species, authentic artworks and distinctive stone elements coexist within a carefully recreated tropical climate.

World Record 2: World's Largest Covered Zoological Ecosystem
Beneath a glass roof covering four hectares, 230 terrestrial and aquatic animal species live together in a dynamic and carefully balanced ecosystem. According to Guinness World Records, this is the largest indoor zoological ecosystem ever built. Visitors do not observe nature from a distance, but experience it from within the environment itself.

In addition to the two previously awarded titles, Pairi Daiza has also received a third Guinness World Record for Edenya: Most Variety of Plant Species Cultivated in a Tropical Greenhouse.

The greenhouse contains a living collection of 1,800 plant species. These include the rare coco de mer (sea coconut), which occurs naturally only in a limited number of locations in Asia, as well as two direct descendants of the original Bodhi tree.

Edenya and the wider Pairi Daiza park have been open to the public since February 7.

For more information:
Deforche Construction Group
[email protected]
www.deforcheconstructiongroup.com