Elsham Road, Leytonstone, London

BALI 2019 Award – Special Award for Environmental Impact: Best Use of Recycled Materials
BALI 2019 Award – Principal Award Winner; Domestic Garden Construction – Under 30k.

Elsham Road Garden is a BALI award winning transformative urban space utilising a rich palette of sub-tropical planting and clever use of levels to create a private oasis that can be enjoyed throughout the year.

A key element to the design and build of Elsham Road was to create, where feasible, an urban retreat that was both sustainable and cost effective for the client.

The design was subsequently developed around the use of reclaimed materials including soft wood timber, corten steel and natural indian sandstone which complimented the aesthetic of the recently refurbished Victorian Terrace House forming a seamless transition between the indoor and outdoor rooms.

A SUDS water harvesting system was also included utilising the water run-off from both the house and shed roof to irrigate all the planted beds to the garden through a system of land drains and water features. The water feature is made up of floating corten gutters that traverse the fence line transporting the water run off from the roof into a pond where the accumulated water is either stored or overflows into a bog garden.

Given the confinements of the project an inventive use of space was essential in providing an outdoor room that was big enough for the client to host dinner party’s and to establish an intimate atmosphere. This was achieved by the multi tiered planters clad in timber and corten. This included a bespoke shed complete with a green roof which provided a subtle storage space as well as providing the sought after screening from the neighbouring properties.

Client: Private

Landscape Architect: Studio Loci

Main Contractor: LDC Ltd

Plant Stock: Architectural Plants