It's now one of the world's largest indoor rainforests and a bustling tourist attraction in Cornwall – but 25 years ago, the Eden Project was just a muddy clay pit.
Built in a steep 60m-deep china clay pit with no soil, the now-famous 'bubble' buildings that sit in the centre of the site remain groundbreaking for their scale, biophilic style and low-energy design.
It took two and a half years of painstaking work to construct the buildings and surrounding infrastructure, which was completed in 2000, before the Eden Project opened its doors to the general public in 2001. And if you think it looks out of this world now, you should see how it looked then...
Installing the 'Tropic Trader' sculpture in the Rainforest biome, which was created by local artist David Kemp. Credit: Eden ProjectThe design was inspired by the way soap bubbles connect to one another, and was initially sketched out on a napkin. Credit: Eden ProjectThe Eden Project constructed within a china clay pit. Credit: Eden ProjectInstalling the Malaysian rainforest display in the Rainforest Biome. Credit: Eden ProjectThe Outdoor Gardens, Rainforest and Mediterranean Biomes cover an area equivalent to 35 football pitches. Credit: Eden ProjectEarly planting at one of the biomes. Credit: Eden ProjectThe Biomes and the Lake at the Eden Project. Credit: Eden ProjectHalf a million people paid £5 to watch the Eden Project being built, which helped with its funding. Credit: Eden ProjectThere have always been plenty of art sculptures at the Eden Project. Credit: Philippe Caron/GettyThe Core opened in 2006 and is the home of the Eden Project's programme from schools. The design is based on the structure of a sunflower. Credit: Adrian Sherratt/Construction Photography/Avalon/GettyFirst day of planting at the Eden Project, September 2000. Credit: View Pictures/Universal Images Group via GettyInside the Rainforest Biome towards cliff. Credit: View Pictures/Universal Images Group via Getty230 miles of scaffolding was used to construct the Biomes. Credit: View Pictures/Universal Images Group via GettyEach window used in the Biomes is very light, but can support the weight of a car. Credit: Ian Walton/GettyKing Charles visiting the Eden Project in 2001, shortly after its opening. Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
