Exterior living wall
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London Wall Place
This RIBA Award-winning project made history while honouring it, creating a lush oasis beside the old London Wall.
Background
A vision of nature reclaiming the city
Once a keystone of London, the historic London Wall holds stories dating back to 200 AD. So when we were contacted about a development project amongst its ruins, we were honoured to join the effort.
The vision for London Wall Place was a thriving business quarter and public amenity where old intersects new and industry blends with environment. Make Architects and Spacehub aimed to create a green oasis next to one of London’s busiest roads, and partnered with us to bring it to life.
Grounded in the idea of nature “taking over,” the scheme included:
- Terraced gardens
- Ivy panels
- Numerous green façades
- Hedgerows along the highwalk with native “discovery” species
“The vision for London Wall Place was a verdant landscape with three gardens at different levels, all connected by vertical planting. The green walls were a major component of delivering that vision, and Viritopia were a safe pair of hands for this high profile project.”
Jessica Beattie
Landscape Architect, SpaceHub Design
Strategy
Two unique plant palettes, rooted in soil
The green walls for London Wall Place were planned in two areas with distinct microclimates. One of the locations is heavily shaded and sits in a wind tunnel between buildings, while the other sees more direct sunlight. As plant species have diverse needs, this was a key factor in our design.
Our design approach also supported the scheme’s:
- Environmental goals: The walls needed to offer pollen and shelter for wildlife and absorb gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
- Historical relevance: Our consultants researched species that were native to the old London Wall area, dating back to the 1800s.
- Intended social impact: Aesthetics and biophilic appeal were critical. We chose plants that would add colour, create exciting “discovery” moments, soften sound, and create the effect of a continuous, textured tapestry.
- Soil was the secret behind delivering on each of these objectives. Viritopia’s soil-based living wall modules enabled us to design palettes with a variety of species. This helped us maximise color, plant coverage, and ecological impact.
After designing the palettes, we planted each module and let nature run its course. Our nursery team monitored the growth, inviting our project partners to visit and see the progress in person.
By installation, the plants were fully established. This instantly delivered the project’s vision of abundant greenery.
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Did you know?
Soil-based green walls offer several advantages over hydroponic or wire-and-climber systems:
- Supports a greater range of plant species
- Helps plants grow healthy and strong
- Uses less water
- Provides habitats for insects and birds
- Filters the air
Impact
A new precedent for green walls in public spaces
London Wall Place marked the city’s first use of green walls within the public realm. This milestone project helped shape London’s evolving leadership in urban greening, and sparked wider interest in sustainable architecture and regulation.
The development also drove a number of benefits for the surrounding community. Several years later, the plants remain thriving and the space continues to offer serenity in the heart of London.
- Biodiversity We chose indigenous plants to provide nesting habitats for wildlife.
- Air quality The soil-based façades filter particulates from the main road.
- Social impact This green oasis brings the benefits of nature to people in the heart of London.
- Sound absorption Plants naturally buffer city sounds like traffic.
- Business benefits Green spaces help drive more foot traffic, supporting local businesses.
“The project has delivered a new green lung and social space in the heart of the City that is publicly accessible to all. London Wall Place is heralded as one of the greenest projects in the City of London and acted as a precedent for the City to test the Urban Greening Factor.”
New London Architecture, 2018
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London Wall Place
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London, UK
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