The Chicago Botanic Garden’s dwarf conifer collection, one of the finest in the country, suffered from both a lack of visibility and connection to the rest of the garden. Hoerr Schaudt’s redesign restores its majesty — the grand entrance stair features dwarf conifers as pocket plants nestled into cutaways, and links the garden’s dramatic hillside to other parts of the botanic garden. Views along the ascent include more than 150 different kinds of dwarf conifers, framed glimpses of the adjacent Japanese Garden, and enhanced vistas from the summit.