Dome

Koi (carp) in Lilly Pond outside the Botanical Building; Built for the 1915-1916 Exposition, along with the adjacent Lily Pond, the historic building is one of the largest lath structures in the world. The Botanical Building plantings include more than 2,100 permanent plants including collections of cycads, ferns, orchids, other tropical plants, and palms. The first drawing for the building by Carleton M. Winslow, Goodhue's architect on site, shows another ornate Spanish-Renaissance front and lateral wings, but the end design was more simplified and functional. Steel trusses in vaults and dome support 70,000 feet of redwood lath (used to shade the plantings), which is curved to conform to the shape of the building. The Lily Pond is a result of Goodhue's exposure to reflecting pools on a trip to Persia in 1902. The structure was restored and repainted in 2002. (The dark brown color is not original). Source: San Diego History Center; https://www.sandiegohistory.org/ (accessed 7/24/2013)