Landsec wanted to transform a former printworks in London’s South Bank into a mixed-use development without demolishing and rebuilding, aiming to retain the site’s rich heritage and achieve net zero. We provided landscape architecture services to help bring Landsec’s vision to life.
From the outset, our goal was to embed the landscape design into the placemaking strategy, not simply to “green” the scheme. Through collaboration and innovation, landscape architecture became the connector between heritage, sustainability, and people.
Rejecting sterility and taking inspiration from the surrounding South Bank and nearby Tate Gallery, we created spaces that would inspire both the immediate and wider community. Our concept de-corporatizes the space, delivering an inclusive public realm.
Sustainability was visible and celebrated, from materials—including 39 tons of reclaimed granite sets and permeable paving—to nature-based solutions designed to be seen. Over the basement slab, we had semi-mature trees planted, with all levels and falls directing surface water into channels that feed a central green space. The landscape is not a simple backdrop but a living system that supports biodiversity and represents parts of the story of the site’s transformation.
The landscape around Timber Square serves as a connector, uniting people, place, and purpose, providing a welcoming and sustainable setting for the two retained and reimagined existing buildings.
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