Integrating green infrastructure into Sheffield’s historic urban fabric
Area: 229m2
Location: Sheffield
System: BioPanel
Install Year: 2024
Client: McLaughlin & Harvey
Number of plants: 22,000
Number of plant species: 9
Sheffield City Centre is undergoing major redevelopment to create a more connected, vibrant, and sustainable urban environment. A key part of this regeneration is the transformation of the former Gaumont building, which overlooks Barker’s Pool, a prominent public square.
The design team at HLM Architecture sought to honour the building’s history as a 20th-century theatre with a façade inspired by art deco proscenium arches.
Living wall squares were incorporated into the façade to bring greenery into the city centre and contribute to Sheffield’s wider sustainability goals. Biotecture was appointed to bring these living walls to life.
Our approach
To achieve the desired ‘green panel’ aesthetic, we implemented a simple, evergreen planting scheme using nine different varieties. The living walls were pre-grown into our patented BioPanel modular panels at our dedicated nursery facility before being installed on-site.
Fire safety was a top priority for this project, and there were concerns about the living wall drying out.
To address this, our BioPanel living walls feature a fully comprehensive, remotely monitored irrigation system that can be adjusted according to environmental conditions. Our growing medium, Grodan, is also extremely water-retentive, holding water for up to two weeks in case of irrigation failure.
For added assurance, we installed 32 moisture sensors across the project to monitor water levels within the walls. These sensors will not only ensure optimal performance but also inform future irrigation schedules.
Design
Including panel layout, plant design and irrigation design
Horticulture
living walls grown in the nursery for 8-12 plants until fully mature
Installation
Installation of backing board, geotextile drainage layer, irrigation pipework and planted panels
Maintenance
Remote monitoring of the irrigation system, regular visual inspections and horticultural maintenance visits
The results
Biotecture successfully delivered the architects’ vision of green panels integrated into the façade.
The result is a vibrant, sustainable feature that reflects Sheffield’s ambition to create a greener urban environment.
The BioPanel system, including the water-retentive growing medium and remotely monitored irrigation system, will ensure the panels continue to thrive for years to come.
