Here we are continuing our celebrations of 20 years of Awards by showcasing the top project each year. Now we are featuring

Best Project 2021: Design & Installation
by Indoor Garden Design Ltd

Project: Bermonds Locke – Aparthotel – Tower Bridge

Winning the ‘Best Project’ Gold Award in 2021, this project was initiated in 2019; the brief was to focus on Mojave themed planting inside and out in this ‘design-led aparthotel’.

The brief was to provide the planting with as seamless a transition as possible between spaces, including the coffee shop, cocktail bar and dining room, co-working area and any of the 144 bedrooms and the two exterior courtyard areas.

Indoor Garden Design focused on desert-looking species including Cordyline indivisa, Phormium variegatum, Agave desmetiana, Trachycarpus, Kniphofia, Yucca ‘Jewel’ and the Mojave cacti. IGD included some high quality artificial vertical cacti species to maintain the theme of the indoor planting.

The internal courtyard was used by customers as a relaxing space for coffee or to swing in the hammock. All pots were warm terracotta to give a homely, warm feel. One wall was a green wall - shelving with potted plants - helping it to feel less like an enclosed space. In keeping with the theme, there was a judicious use of trailing plants to hang over the edge of the pots and cascade downwards. Three bijou suites overlooked the courtyard on the ground floor and had their own terraces, with opulent bathtubs for filling with ice or champagne for really exclusive gatherings.

The external courtyards are accessible from the street and make use of concrete grey planters, mainly planted with Trachycarpus, Aloe vera and Agave. These frame the doors as clients enter as well as enhancing the view for guests in the dining and co-working areas.

An unusual and interesting project, the aparthotel concept is quite new and is a cross between a flat and a traditional hotel where residents can stay for weeks, or maybe even a month or so. Facilities include co-working and meeting areas, as well as the usual hotel facilities.

Despite the fact that the building wasn’t built for the concept, but was an old renovated factory and that COVID 19 caused some delays, the IGD team managed to successfully deliver this exciting project opening in August 2020.

There is a second Award winner in this category in this year which you can read on the next page ...