Wardian's gardens complete in London

wardian view of glass doors — (Image credit: glennhowells.co)

Created to promote sustainability, a green environment and excellence in architecture, the Wardian in London's Canary Wharf has opened its doors to its first residents. The scheme, which comprises two sleek towers engufled in gardens, is designed by Glenn Howells Architects and developed by EcoWorld Ballymore.

The project places an emphasis on plants and green spaces, inspired by 19th century physician and botanist Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward, who invented the Wardian Case – a box used to transport plants across the globe. Drawing on the idea of nature and preservation, the design is filled with environmentally friendly techniques and gardens.

‘The mental and physical health benefits of biophillic design and green spaces is being increasingly recognised and Wardian is a unique gem in one of the capital’s most cosmopolitan and commercial areas,' says the design team.

Landscaping has been curated by Huw Morgan. This includes planted spaces within the residences, but also the communal areas, which house more than a hundred different species of rare flowers and plants. Much of the green areas are enveloped in contemporary glass cases for both protection and visibility, evoking iconic London’s historic conservatories, such as ones at Kew Gardens and the Barbican.

The towers span 55 and 50-storeys respectively and contain over 700 homes of varied sizes. Every unit has its own private garden. Clean, modernist-inspired architecture playfully contrasts the organic, natural element in the complex. World class amenities complement each apartment, and residents automatically become members of The Wardian Club on site.

Apart from the presence and promotion of nature, Wardian also intends to reduce solar gain by its use of projecting terraces, and this strategy is projected to help natural cooling in the short and long term. Additionally, making the most of the power of plants, the development's gardens also support sustainability strategies by naturally cooling the air and providing shade.

INFORMATION

glennhowells.co.uk

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).