Sheffield Winter Gardens
Encyclopedia
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
in South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
is one of the largest temperate glasshouse
Glasshouse
Glasshouse or Glasshouses may refer to:*Greenhouse, a building where plants are cultivated*Glasshouse , a 2006 novel by Charles Stross*Glasshouse , term for a military prison in the British Army...
s to be built in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during the last hundred years, and the largest urban glasshouse anywhere in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It is home to more than 2,000 plants from all around the world. It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
on 22 May 2003.
Part of the £120 million Heart of the City regeneration project that has created the Peace Gardens
Peace Gardens
The Peace Gardens are an inner city square in Sheffield, England. It was created as part of the Heart of the City project by Sheffield City Council....
and the £15 million Millennium Galleries
Millennium Galleries
The Millennium Galleries is an art gallery in the City of Sheffield, England. Opened in April 2001 as part of Sheffield's Heart of the City project, it is located in the city centre close to the city library, Sheffield Hallam University, and the city's theatre district...
, the Winter Garden was designed by Pringle Richards Sharratt
Pringle Richards Sharratt
Pringle Richards Sharratt is an architectural firm that was formed in 1996 by John Pringle [b. 1951], Penny Richards [b.1950] and Ian Sharratt [b.1948]. Based in London, the practice has worked on public buildings, art galleries, museums, libraries, archives, university and transport buildings...
Architects and Buro Happold
Buro Happold
Buro Happold is a professional services firm providing engineering consultancy, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of buildings, infrastructure and the environment, with its head office in Bath, Somerset...
and are some 70 metres (76.6 yd) long and 21 metres (23 yd) high.
The building has background frost protection to minimum of 4 degrees Celsius and it is one of the largest Glued Laminated Timber
Glued laminated timber
Glued laminated timber, also called Glulam, is a type of structural timber product composed of several layers of dimensioned timber bonded together with durable, moisture-resistant adhesives. This material is called 'laminating stock' or lamstock for short.By laminating several smaller pieces of...
or "Glulam" buildings in the UK (Glulam is made by forming and gluing strips of timber into specific shapes). The wood used is Larch
Larch
Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. Growing from 15 to 50m tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains further south...
, a durable timber which will, over time, turn a light silvery grey colour. The larch, derived from sustainable forests, requires no preservatives or coatings. This reduces the use of solvents and also avoids the use of chemicals that could kill the plants. It has an intelligent Building Management System
Building Management System
A Building Management System is a computer-based control system installed in buildings that controls and monitors the building’s mechanical and electrical equipment such as ventilation, lighting, power systems, fire systems, and security systems...
which controls fans and vents to make sure the plants are cooled in summer and kept warm in winter. The system will "learn" year-on-year.
The bedding plants are changed five times a year, to give a seasonal change, and all the plants are watered by hose
Hose (tubing)
A hose is a hollow tube designed to carry fluids from one location to another. Hoses are also sometimes called pipes , or more generally tubing...
or by watering can
Watering can
A watering can is a portable container, usually with a handle and a spout, used to water plants by hand. It has existed since at least the 17th century and has since been improved. It is used for many other uses too, as it is a fairly versatile tool....
, as it is the only way to ensure that all the plants get the correct amount of water.
Project team
- Clients: Sheffield City Council
- Architects: Pringle Richards Sharratt Architects
- Project Management: Sheffield City Council
- Quantity Surveyors: Sheffield City Council
- Structural & Services Engineers: Buro HappoldBuro HappoldBuro Happold is a professional services firm providing engineering consultancy, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of buildings, infrastructure and the environment, with its head office in Bath, Somerset...
- Fire and Access Consultants: Buro HappoldBuro HappoldBuro Happold is a professional services firm providing engineering consultancy, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of buildings, infrastructure and the environment, with its head office in Bath, Somerset...
FEDRA - Lighting Consultants: Bartenbach LichtLabor/ Lichttechnik Martin Klingler
- Winter Garden Landscape Consultant: Weddle Landscape Design
- Planning Supervisor: Sheffield City Council
- Management Contractor: Interserve Project Services Ltd
- Plant supply, planting and aftercare: Rentokil Tropical Plants Ltd
Partners
The Winter Garden has been funded by the Millennium Commission, Sheffield City Council and English Partnerships.Awards won
- RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) Pro Yorkshire Award for Design & Innovation
- RIBARibaRiba means one of the senses of "usury" . Riba is forbidden in Islamic economic jurisprudence fiqh and considered as a major sin...
(Royal Institute of British Architects) Award [with the Millennium Galleries]. - European Federation of Interior Landscaping Groups - three gold awards
- The Variety Club of Great Britain – Best Regeneration Award
- Royal Fine Art Commission Jeu D’esprit Building of the Year' Award
- British Guild of Travel WritersBritish Guild of Travel WritersThe British Guild of Travel Writers was formed in 1960. It is a membership organisation that admits authors whose work focuses on travel. It also includes among its membership many other professionals who generate travel-related content for print, broadcast and online media...
– Commendation - Civic TrustCivic TrustThe Civic Trust of England was a charitable organisation founded in 1957. It ceased operations in 2009 and went into administration due to lack of funds/...
Green Flag AwardGreen Flag AwardThe Green Flag Award is the benchmark national standard for parks and green spaces in the United Kingdom. The scheme was set up in 1996 to recognise and reward green spaces in England and Wales that met the laid down high standards... - Also instrumental in SheffieldSheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
's win in the EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an entente floraleEntente FloraleThe Entente Florale is an international horticultural competition established to recognise municipalities and villages in Europe for excellence in horticultural displays. Trophies are presented annually by tourist boards and horticultural societies of European countries...
awardAwardAn award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognize excellence in a certain field; a certificate of excellence. Awards are often signifiedby trophies, titles, certificates, commemorative plaques, medals, badges, pins, or ribbons...
2005