Jubilee Park, the latest open space at Canary Wharf, constructed and landscaped by Willerby Landscapes, has won two awards at the BALI (British Association of Landscape Industries) National Landscape Awards. It received the Grand Award for the best landscape scheme installed in the UK for 2003 as well as the principal award for the category ‘Mainly soft landscaping under one hectare’. Canary Wharf and Willerby Landscapes also received a Grand Award in 1991 for Westferry Circus/West India Avenue landscaping and Canary Wharf is the only project in the UK to ever receive two Grand Awards.

The BALI Awards provide an annual showcase for the high levels of professionalism, skill and achievement attained by BALI members working throughout the landscape sector. This year saw the largest number of entries for several years from both residential gardens to complex construction and maintenance programmes in Britain and overseas.

Jubilee Park was conceptually designed by the renowned father and son landscape design partnership, Jacques and Peter Wirtz, with technical landscape design carried out by Barry Chinn Associates. The park provides a pastoral setting for peaceful relaxation that contrasts markedly with its formal urban context. The composition consists of subtly modelled landform intersected by winding cascade features and dry stone wall “bunds” planted with ornamental grasses. A large number of mature trees arranged in an apparently random pattern, help to create vistas and informal spaces. By dividing the park into a series of sub-spaces that appear to lead from one to another, the designer has cleverly created the illusion that Jubilee Park is without end. Like all the parks and squares at Canary Wharf, it is a visual spectacle from above as well as ground level.

Jubilee Park is constructed on top of the London Underground station and Jubilee Place shopping mall. Working space was at a premium due to the concurrent building construction adjacent and with dead loads over the Underground station having to be maintained using foam blocks prior to soil importation. Most of the elements had to be manufactured off-site and brought on as required, this included all soil, water features, walling and planting. A sophisticated irrigation system controls watering and soil moisture content.

Tony Partington, Managing Director for Canary Wharf Management Limited, said, “To win not only one but two Grand Awards from BALI is a marked achievement and one which reflects Canary Wharf’s investment in the area, not only in terms of the construction of office and retail space but also of open spaces that both tenants and visitors can enjoy together. The construction of new major open space by private development is rare and has taken a very talented team to create. I extend my congratulations and thanks to all involved for producing such a unique environment.”