To mark the 25th anniversary of the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew commissioned Designmap to create permanent interpretation within Wakehurst Mansion, where the seed bank was founded. The project spans two historic rooms - the Chapel and the Billiard Room - telling the story of the MSB’s origins, scientific purpose and global impact. In the Chapel, a sculptural illuminated centrepiece inspired by stained glass reveals early seed-banking tools, layered interpretation and a large-scale hand-illustrated projection exploring Kew’s Nature Unlocked research.
In the Billiard Room, a projection mapped onto a bespoke 3D model embedded in a real billiard table explains why Wakehurst’s landscape is uniquely suited to global conservation science. The result is an immersive, elegant installation connecting pioneering research with place, history and climate resilience.
Photographs: Jim Holden © RGB Kew
Email us to discuss a project
