| Title: | The Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street, City of London, UK |
| Markets: | Retail and Workplace, Parks and Green Spaces |
| Client: | Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group |
| Services: | Landscape architecture |
| Region: | United Kingdom |
| Status: | Complete |
| Team: | Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group |
| Photography: | Gillespies | Jason Gairn and Rhubarb |
The Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street is a unique public roof garden celebrating the diversity of plants. Spanning three storeys and offering 360-degree views across the City of London, the Sky Garden is an extraordinary addition to the London skyline.
Inspired by the gravity-defying ancient forests you see on 360-degree outcrops, Sky Garden is a unique public garden space housed under a glass vaulted roof overlooking the City of London. The particular microclimate created under this glass vault inspired the creation of a series of micro-landscapes.
Specialist planting consultancy was provided on this project by Growth Industry, acting as a sub‑consultant to Gillespies. The landscape design concept developed a narrative based on the ‘Evolution of plants’, which has resulted in the creation of a garden split into three zones: Shade Tolerant Forest, a Transition Zone and flowering plants. The top terrace of tree fern and fig trees provides a cool, shaded space, whilst the middle terrace brings a transition in scale from the forest down to a display of ancient cycads. The lower terrace is filled with colourful plants to delight the senses all year round.
Set amongst the landscaping is a viewing area, terrace, café, bar and restaurant. The Sky Garden has also been designed to offer a series of large, flexible spaces to host a variety exhibitions and corporate events with a capacity of 450 guests.
Gillespies' design role at 20 Fenchurch Street was also to deliver a high quality de‑cluttered setting for the building at street level. This has resulted in an accessible and welcoming open space at the base of the building along with a living green wall
Awards
- 2015 BALI Award - Soft Landscaping Construction - Over £1.5 million
