The Winter Garden is a spectacular glazed public space in the heart of the Sheffield city centre. Extensively landscaped with exotic trees and plants it is an indoor park providing an important amenity for the public in the city centre and a counterpoint to the open air ‘summer’ Peace Gardens nearby. Along the length of the building three garden areas have been formed and gently ramped paths rise through the planted beds to provide an alternative ‘wild’ route through the building.
Weddles provided the horticultural design for this landmark public glasshouse, with a service including specification, plant sourcing, supervision.
The majority of the trees and plants are from the southern hemisphere, where they have evolved quite differently to Britain’s own native flora, and are strikingly exotic and unusual In their forms, textures and colours.The beds contain over 2,500 plants from a wide diversity of 150 different species. The largest trees are over 10 metres tall with the potential to grow taller than the building.
The Winter Garden has been a great success for Sheffield and is loved by the people. It has become a famous local building and an icon for the city, and appears almost daily in the local newspaper with pictures of visiting celebrities or civic events. It has also helped stimulate regeneration of new commercial developments nearby, including high quality offices, restaurants, hotels and apartments, making the Heart of the City a truly special place.
Awards
2011 & 2013 Green Flag Award
2007 Academy of Urbanism:
The Great Place Award
2004 Civic Trust Award
2004 Royal Fine Arts Commission:
Jeu d’esprit Award
2004 European Federation of Interior Landscape:
Gold Award
2003 Royal Fine Arts Commission Trust:
Building Of The Year
2003 RIBA Yorkshire Award
2003 Civic Trust Green Flag Award
2003 Variety Club of Great Britain:
Best Regeneration Award
2003 RICS Pro Yorkshire Award:
Design & Innovation
2003 Wood Award Shortlist
2003 British Guild of Travel Writers:
Commendation
Location:
Sheffield, UK
Type:
Glasshouse design
Area:
1,1570 sqm
Value:
£5.5M
Client:
Sheffield City Council