This internal PlantBox living wall creates a striking feature at the heart of Wilmott Dixon Interiors’ new exemplar office. Green walls are space efficient way of bringing more plants into interior spaces, and this living wall forms an important part of the overarching biophilic design scheme.
Project Brief
Wilmott Dixon Interiors is an interior fit-out and design specialist and one of the UK’s largest construction and property companies. In 2022 the company relocated into a new purpose designed space. The design team have created a modern, open plan working environment which promotes some of the highest standards in energy efficiency and flexible working.
Sustainability and biophilic design were key priorities right from the start. We all have an innate connection to nature, yet we spend 90% of our time indoors. Multiple studies have shown that bringing more plants inside provides a plethora of benefits, from improving air quality, to increasing creativity and productivity. The result is happier staff and better retention rates.
Living walls proved to be a space efficient way to bring more plants into the Wilmott Dixon Interiors offices. Working with the design team, we designed and installed the green wall near an amphitheatre, at the heart of the space. This will enable people to benefit from improved air quality, better acoustics and enhanced wellbeing when entering the office.
Highlights
- Made using the Stackable, modular PlantBox system
- Part of a wider biophilic design strategy
- Space efficient way to bring more plants into the office
- Includes integrated water reservoir and automatic irrigation for easy maintenance
Our Approach
Biotecture’s living wall at the Bailey was constructed using PlantBox, a cleverly simple modular, stackable living wall system. The individual PlantBox troughs are stacked together and contained within an elegant aluminium surround.
In any construction project and especially for Wilmott Dixon Interiors, sustainability is an important consideration, which is why the project team welcomed the fact that PlantBox is manufactured in the UK using 100% recycled materials.
Design and Project Management
Our extensive experience in the living wall sector allowed us to guide and manage The Bailey project from conception through implementation and installation. This enabled us to meet all the project criteria set out by Wilmott Dixon Interiors around biophilic design and budget requirements. We also advised the client on long term maintenance and through life care.
Installation
The living walls at The bailey were installed over 6 days. The PlantBox troughs were planted up on site with high quality internal plants then stacked together. PlantBox is a free standing system and only requires restraint fixings which means that there is no structural loading. This made installation a very straightforward process and provided more design and spatial scope on where the living walls could be positioned.
Maintenance
Being simple to maintain and easy watering was an important consideration for Wilmott Dixon Interiors. Our PlantBox Flourish units include a water reservoir at the base and a re-circulating pump to irrigate the living wall plants. The automatic tap timers are set to irrigation once a week, meaning it is easy to keep the plants in optimum condition.
A robust mix of indoor plants were selected by Biotecture including ferns, Peace lilies, and tropical plants. These were chosen for their aesthetic appeal as well as their ability to improve air quality and attenuate sound in the open plan space.
Photos: Gary Briton, Courtesy of Willmott Dixon Interiors
Sustainability is at the heart of our business and how we work. It was no different in our recent design and fit out of our new London office space at The Bailey, where biophilic influences and sustainable decisions are a main focus.
Working with Biotecture, we have created a living wall opposite our amphitheatre to enable our people to benefit from improved air, acoustics and wellbeing when entering our office. Research is clear that biophilic design improves the look and feel of commercial space, and increases creativity and productivity by bringing the outdoors, in.
Kavita Ramchandra Senior Sustainability Manager
Key Benefits
