Project details
Royal London Insurance
Landscape Designers :
Place Design & Planning – Masterplan and tender, Bartholomew Landscaping – Detailing
Construction and Project Management :
Bartholomew Landscaping
Main Contractors :
Od Projects
Thames Valley Park, Reading
Thames Valley Park is an office development on the outskirts of Reading that offers a fantastic combination of progressive international businesses located in substantial office building laid out in a parkland setting and large open green spaces. We were invited by OD projects to tender for the landscape improvements to an office located on one of the plots within the park that had recently been acquired by Royal London Insurance and we were delighted when we were appointed to carry out the works.
The Concept
The park, water meadows and nature reserve were developed to create a natural flood plain to protect the commercial development, improve natural habitats and increase local biodiversity. The 80-acre waterside nature reserve is a fabulous asset to the local community and the environment.
The project covered a total of 2.2 hectares and included the reconfiguration of a large lake, installation of bridges, new hard landscaping areas and pathways as well as wild-flower meadows. The works were particularly sensitive, with the surrounding area being a wildlife habitat, therefore careful consideration has been given to ecology. Appointed ecologists carried out habitat survey reports and a section of the lake had to be temporarily cordoned off because of the nesting sites of resident birds.
The Details
As well as the landscaping improvements to the parkland setting and the replacement of all of the paved areas around the building we were also involved in the creation of an architectural water feature framing the entrance and the enclosure/enhancements to an unsightly electrical substation.
Once the main contractors completed the addition of a 4th floor to the building, we installed a very stylish roof terrace including illuminated planters, table tennis tables, binocular viewing points with bespoke furnishings and a large wildlife friendly sedum roof.
The works were completed in 2017.
