Above: Looking west from the eastern end of the Paddington Basin.
The trouble with developers is that they develop the land. Well, they would, that’s their job. Their problem is that, sometimes, they just do not know when to stop. In the case of Paddington Basin, they got their hands on all that land and developed every last square inch with the densest and tallest office blocks that they could obtain planning permission for. The result was that they made a fortune from their labours but had no interest in providing any open space for the workers or visitors to relax in.
Having taken up all the available space on either side of Paddington Basin, it was suddenly realised that there was a need for some open space where flowers could be seen, trees could be enjoyed and small expanses of green grass could provide a mini oasis amid the jungle of awful office blocks. So, what could be done? The obvious solution was to start laying out a ‘pocket park’ on large rafts that floated on the Paddington Basin itself. But wouldn’t that defeat the concept of having water in the first place? That question has never been answered.
The concept of London’s first floating public ‘pocket park’ was given the green light by Westminster planners early in 2017. The 45m-long green floating oasis was then created at the most easterly end of the Paddington Basin, providing a recreational area that is open all year round until dusk. Parks and water have been a sore point for several years now – remember the Garden Bridge?
The Vauxhall-based landscaper and former Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Young Garden Designer of the Year – Tony Woods – was asked to come up with a solution. As well as the detail of the design, his greatest challenge was to ensure that the floating structure was stable when weighed down by the soil and up to 150 people on an area of 730 square metres. It was claimed that, even on a windy day, the park is stable enough not to be rocked by any waves on the basin’s surface.
The garden has been created from a series of interlocking pontoons made from recycled materials which have been made to look like reclaimed wood. They were assembled in Cumbria and transported to Uxbridge by road before being transported on the canal network to Paddington Basin in time for a planned May 2017 opening – as part of the Chelsea Fringe.
There are three areas which include an events and installations venue with a pergola and a ‘no humans’ tiny floating reserve for wildfowl. It features open lawns, raised borders, and seating areas. The pocket park forms part of Merchant Square, which also features kinetic bridges by designers including Thomas Heatherwick, who also created nearby Rolling Bridge.
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Know Your London 