North London to get world’s largest living wall

Work is progressing on the steel frame erection for a scheme that will on completion include the world’s biggest living wall, covering 7,400m².

Pure Data Centres (PDC), backed by funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, will be integrating the wall into a new facility on its campus in Brent Cross, North London.

The living wall will contain more than 750,000 individual plants, which will be installed using a modular system. Key functions of the plants are to absorb noise and to help filter out air pollution.

The extensive planting area will also enhance the site’s biodiversity by creating important habitats for birds and insects. It will also provide a protective outer layer to the building, helping to reduce solar gain and improve the microclimate.

This will be PDC’s second facility on the site, helping to satisfy demand for data centres, said to be at an all-time high, especially in London, which accounts for 80 per cent of the UK market. The data centre market in the UK is projected to grow by over 60% by 2029.

Dame Dawn Childs, Chief Executive Officer for Pure DC, said: “The data centre industry is facing a critical challenge of building the digital infrastructure needed to support the demands of global data growth in a way that also takes care of the local environment. Gaining planning permission for the living wall was an exciting step in our effort to meet this challenge head-on.”

Working on behalf of main contractor Mace, BHC is fabricating, supplying and erecting 10,000t of steelwork for the project’s three structures. The tonnage includes 50 trusses, measuring 20m-long and weighing 22t each.