Living wall will cover over 1,500ft2 of a building facade

Artist's impression of the 'vertical park' in Covent Garden.

Artist鈥檚 impression of the 鈥榲ertical park鈥� in Covent Garden.

 

Morgan Sindall subsidiary Overbury is constructing a living wall which will cover over 1,500ft2 of a building facade in Covent Garden, London.

The 鈥榲ertical park鈥� will be on the corner of Long Acre and James Street and is due for completion in September.

Fit out specialist Overbury, which is also refurbishing the building鈥檚 interior, installed a scaffold structure at ground-level between 7pm and midnight, and created a safe working zone between the scaffold and the public. The structure was then wrapped in a 2,500ft2 grass-printed covering, to allow the wall to be constructed behind this screen.

The vertical park was designed and is being installed by specialist firm Biotecture, who abseil down the building鈥檚 fa莽ade to plant the living wall.

Over 8,000 plants and 21 different species will be planted over an area of 1,500 sq ft, and will be watered by a drip irrigation system which will be run on up to 80% rainwater harvesting.

 

Screen around the building while the 'vertical park' is constructed.

Screen around the building while the 鈥榲ertical park鈥� is constructed.

 

According to Michelle McGrath, director of Capco: 鈥淭he wall will have varying tones of green with red, pink and mauve, designed evoke Covent Garden鈥檚 colourful past as a flower market.

鈥淭he wall aims to refine the quality of the air, increase the area鈥檚 biodiversity, capture pollution particles and offer the beauty of a vertical park.鈥�

The living wall is the latest development in the 鈥榬e-greening鈥� of Covent Garden鈥�, an initiative from Capco, the developer which owns the estate.

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