Grimshaw, an architectural firm based out of London, UK, has announced that work is in full swing at the Oman Botanical Garden, with the project recently reaching a major milestone in its construction progress.

According to a statement from Grimshaw, the first structural arch of the Botanical Garden’s Northern Biome has been lifted into place.

The arch is made up of seven structural components that were initially welded on the ground to form three segments, then craned and welded into position. It is the first of 43 arches, Grimshaw added, with the 26-tonne structure located at the centre of the building, spanning 40 metres and reaching a height of 31 metres.

The firm explained that the biome will be a showcase for the dramatic landscapes of the Northern Hajar mountains, recreating the agricultural terraces and the habitat of the ancient juniper trees found at the highest altitudes of Oman’s mountains.

Grimshaw has collaborated with Arup, a global advisory, design, planning and engineering company and Haley Sharpe Design, the international design consultancy in the museum and heritage sector, for the project, the statement concluded.