The Pavilion and the ‘mobile’ Orchard launch
Lendlease’s Project Director for IQL, Kristy Lansdown, said: “The completion of the Pavilion is a real landmark moment for Stratford and recognises Lendlease’s efforts in putting placemaking at the top of our agenda, whilst setting the highest standards of environmental performance in our buildings. This will have a long-lasting impact not just on the surrounding environment, but also on the enjoyment and wellbeing of those who visit the building. With its location overlooking the acres of green space of at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, stand-out architecture and public rooftop terrace with iconic views over London, café, fountains and seating area, it is a place where we hope local people and Londoners will gather to eat, drink and play.”
Peter Hawthorne, CEO of LCR, said: “At the heart of the ongoing evolution of IQL and Stratford is a commitment to creating a vibrant community, with an ecosystem of commercial, residential and leisure space. With its exciting and sustainable design, the Pavilion embodies that commitment to fostering a neighbourhood that can thrive.
Ultimately, it’s crucial that similar regeneration projects across the country embrace the same ethos to providing public value and have people at the heart of their plans. This is what it will mean to ‘build back better’.”
Friedrich Ludewig, Founding Director at ACME, said: “We're thrilled to celebrate the opening of the Pavilion in Stratford, an innovative timber structure anchoring Endeavour Square. Having master-planned Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Bridges 15 years ago with their future legacy in mind, it's so exciting to contribute to placemaking in this part of London once again. The Pavilion's sculptural form is inclusive, inviting access and exploration from all sides. The highly sustainable building integrates landscape, is sensitive to the environment and maximizes the use of timber to get us closer to achieving net zero carbon. We're delighted that the restaurant interior fitout by Afroditi celebrates the building's timber structure. Stunning views from both inside the restaurant and from the public rooftop terrace remind us of this special location in east London - at the intersection of sport, nature and city. We look forward to the Pavilion's exterior becoming a meeting place for locals to use regularly, to relax as well as enjoy the views of the emerging and ever-changing landscape."
Mary Bowman, Landscape Architect/Partner at Gustafson Porter + Bowman said: “It’s wonderful to see the whole of Endeavour Square come together. The water features and artwork are a real attraction especially for young children. The Pavilion amphitheatre and planted rooftop terrace are extensions of the public realm that offer visitors a whole new perspective. Inspired by the site’s history as former railway lands, the new square is already full of school children, families and office workers enjoying the urban transformation.”
Peter Tudor, Director of Park Operations and Venues at the London Legacy Development Corporation, said: “We’re delighted that our Visitor Information Point is now part of this fantastic new Pavilion right on the gateway to the Park.As developments like IQL attract more and more people, it’s vital that we have great facilities to help the millions of people who come here each year.”
Garden Designer Tom Massey says: "The orchard is designed to tie in with the theme of the planting in the Hothouse, showing a range of fruiting trees from around the world. Some are hardy favourites like apples, or cherries, alongside more unusual species like quince or loquat. The orchard will be both educational, functional and aesthetically pleasing, whilst the planters will provide additional seating with benches made from a sustainable terrazzo like-product I have been developing called Rubblazzo, made from London rubble."
- A ‘mobile’ orchard designed by garden designer Tom Massey is being installed in Stratford’s Endeavour Square this Autumn. Composed of 20 fruit trees, each tree has been placed in a moveable planter with integrated benches incorporated into the design, creating a new, flexible area for seating and pausing, under the branches of a variety of both familiar and more unusual fruit trees.
- Each planter will be moved by pallet truck when needed, meaning that the layout of the ‘mobile’ orchard can be re-arranged to create specific patterns or seating arrangements, ensuring that the site can be visually refreshed throughout the year.
- The trees and underplanting will help create a more comfortable environment for visitors, providing shade and reducing wind. On stadium event days, when more space is needed in the square to accommodate large crowds, the orchard can be moved elsewhere on the site. The ‘mobile’ orchard will be in situ at Stratford all year round for up to five years.
- Tom Massey has selected a mix of familiar and unusual species including apple, plum, medlar, quince and loquat trees. These fruit trees will provide seasonal interest throughout the year with different blossom in the spring, foliage and shade in the summer and fruit in the autumn.
- Tom Massey says: "The orchard is designed to tie in with the theme of the planting in the Hothouse, showing a range of fruiting trees from around the world. Some are hardy favourites like apples, or cherries, alongside more unusual species like quince or loquat. The orchard will be both educational, functional and aesthetically pleasing, whilst the planters will provide additional seating with benches made from a sustainable terrazzo like-product I have been developing called Rubblazzo, made from London rubble."
