Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Client | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Kew Gardens) |
Project Value | £50m programme value |
Expertise | Building |
Sector | Heritage |
Timeline | July 2017 - June 2019 |
Location | England - South and Midlands |
Illustrating our sensitive approach to working within a live heritage environment, we are the Programme Contracting Partner for the major capital development programme at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The UNESCO World Heritage site, which attracts over two million visitors per year, is famous for its gardens, water features, botanical glasshouses and Grade I and II listed buildings of architectural and historic significance. Across the 121ha estate, we have embarked upon a complex programme of works with a value of £5m and £10m per annum.
As the single contractor, we undertake the refurbishment of historic buildings, fabric and structural repairs, heritage specialisms, repair and replacement of M&E systems and the replacement of nursery and external works. We are also responsible for projects at Wakehurst Place in West Sussex – a 500-acre site that is home to the world’s largest wild seed conservation scheme.
Examples of our work at Kew include:
Arboretum Nursery (£4.8m – 48 weeks): This project involved the construction of a new 1,241m2 state-of-the-art facility. It is now one of the most technically advanced glasshouses in the UK.
Evolution House (£820k – 22 weeks): A refurbishment scheme comprising of the removal of the existing internal slab, the formation of an internal plant room and the installation of a new heating system via a perimeter of cast iron radiators.
Pavilion Restaurant (£4.7m – 58 weeks): Housing 100-year-old vines and a unique horse chestnut tree, the first of its kind planted in the UK, we constructed the new steel framed Pavilion Restaurant which boasts a 400-cover capacity. It opened in May 2019. Its striking appearance is capped by a floating roof over a glass façade on all elevations. The catering kitchen is also visually encased within an aged brass clad feature wall.