Continuing our celebration of Gold Leaf Award winners in the £15-£30k group. Green Team Interiors Ltd won a Gold Leaf Award for their installation at Offices in Maidenhead.

Gold Leaf Award

Offices in Maidenhead

Green Team Interiors Ltd

The majority of this scheme uses the customers own cabinet top planters, so any additional planters needed to have a little extra ‘wow factor’, something a little different, something that people hadn’t perhaps seen before. A talking point if you will.

Not only did the plants need to be pleasing to the eye but there was a practical element too. This client’s offices had its own set of challenges, from privacy screening to non-load bearing hanging planters, this design had to prove that plants are not only beautiful, but they can be practical too.

Numerous meetings with staff at the site and with the lead contractor on site enabled us to fine tune this design to meet the brief exactly and the deadline promptly.

To design a green space which offered screening and privacy in areas which held sensitive information, to offer flexibility in frequently changing spaces and to provide an impressive focal point for impact. The design needed to be modern, fitting seamlessly into their newly designed office space.

As required by their internal policies, the contract had to go out to tender, so pencils had to be kept very sharp!

Timing was everything. The client wanted all planting to be in place before the staff moved in. Green Team Interiors had to work alongside the interior design contractors to ensure the wall was ready in time for the installation of the living wall and that all the cabinet toppers were in place before the plants arrived.

When mass planting cabinet top planters, GTI needed to take extra care not to use plant species prone to spider mite or thrips to prevent the spread of such pests. The planting depth of these toppers was also quite shallow, and some planters needed taller plants for screening, so it was difficult to find enough plant species suitable to keep it visually interesting.

The installation of a new living wall was a first for GTI. Thankfully they had access to some great resources for advice about the best plant species to use for longevity and visual interest. They had to work closely with the interior design contractors to ensure the wall was constructed using the most appropriate materials to ensure it was fit for purpose.

• Mobilane Live Panel Pack containing mixed green plants.
• Danish Industrial with Panel in Sun Yellow RAL 1037 containing Dracaena Marginata branched and Areca Palm. These were another first for Green Team, so we were excited to see them in situ.
• Trailing artificial plants in customers own light fitting planters, including Wandering Jew, Mini Philodendron and Fittonia.
• Lines planters containing Sansevieria Laurentii, Ficus Robusta and Aglaonema Silver Bay.
• Flowering Carousel display which consists of a different bowl and flowering plants each month.
• Customers own cabinet top planters containing a mix of Epipremnum Silver Ann, mixed Calathea, Croton Petra, Fittonia, Zamioculcas, Sansevieria, Cordyline and Rhaphis Excelsa.

The client has had the most positive feedback about the displays, both from their Global Senior management team as well as external, many of whom have said it's the best space they've ever seen, including the landlord who said it's the best he's seen including central London locations with huge budgets.

So much thought and collaboration went into this critical element of the office design and aesthetic.

6 months on it is maturing amazingly, which is testament to the planting choice.

The £15 - £30K Design and Installation category was sponsored by Noviflora Plantscaping