Tate + Co Architects is part of the design team behind the creation of a new garden in The Regent’s Park to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II, in collaboration with The Royal Parks and HTA Design, honouring Her Late Majesty’s life and legacy.
The garden has been created on over two acres of former store yard, restoring the area to the public for the first time in over 100 years.
The team at HTA approached Tate + Co to reimagine a former water tower. Located at the very heart of the garden, the brief was to retain the original structure and create a focal point, complete with a viewing platform and wildlife habitat.
Regenerative design was key to the overall approach, with the tower sympathetically adapted to provide a safe and encouraging environment for birds and bats. By rebuilding the structure’s existing water storage housing, Tate + Co introduced roosting and nesting boxes for bats, swifts and swallows, while climbing plants provide food, shelter and breeding sites.
The tower features decorative ironwork with symbols of roses, thistles, shamrocks and leeks, the native plants of the four home nations embroidered on Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation gown. Steel from planting beds, previously housed in the greenhouses, was also used to provide flooring and reinforcement to the viewing platform.
Working with blacksmith Ian Thackray encouraged the Tate + Co team to craft a larger and more intricate design than they had initially thought possible, starting as obvious metalwork before turning into an organic pattern. Flowing over the brickwork and balustrade, this offers a real moment of surprise as you walk through the garden.
Tate + Co also designed and delivered the pergola. Incorporating salvaged steel, the structure embodies the garden’s circular economy principles while serving as a framing device for the space, creating a peaceful place for contemplation and relaxation.
Working in collaboration with horticulturists, the pergola has been created to support plants and greenery, including Wisteria and Rosa, to grow up and over the structure, providing shade for visitors. This thoughtful design means that its appearance will continue to evolve over time, serving as a supporting act for nature to inhabit.
Jerry Tate, Founder and Director, spoke on behalf of the Tate + Co team: “The project is best in class in sustainable and regenerative principles. We were able to make a unique space, by taking what was there originally and turning it into something quite beautiful.
“We hope the legacy is a proof point for the potential of embracing the circular economy and bringing nature into cities. We have retained and re-used the materials of a disused industrial space and turned what was once a barren area of land in The Regent’s Park into a nature rich and biodiverse garden that people can freely enjoy. That is a very gratifying feeling.”
