Peninsula Hotel London: A Green Oasis in the bustling heart of London

Enea were commissioned to design the courtyard, the terraces, and the entrance of one of the most exclusive luxury hotels in the world. Following our design principle of integrating the garden with the architecture, we analysed the surroundings, studied its character. Hyde Park, Green Park, Buckingham Palace, Belgrave Square and Eaton Square gardens – we saw lots of urban green spaces complementing the classic elegance of this neighbourhood at the border of Mayfair and Belgravia.
The design for the Peninsula courtyard was inspired both by the parks and garden squares of London that surround the hotel, as well as by Kew Gardens and London’s tradition as a place where plants from East and West can be found. Enea Landscape Architecture wanted to enhance the courtyard and celebrate its character as a welcoming green oasis in the city’s busy Hyde Park Corner neighbourhood.

The courtyard is the heart of the hotel and the link between outside and inside – between the urban bustle and the surrounding parks, and it acts as a transition to the interior of the hotel, a retreat into a more intimate space, filled with plants and specially designed de Gournay wallpaper evoking the green space outside. Just as the surrounding parks are green islands of the city, the courtyard is the green island of the hotel. The Enea team wanted to honour the exceptional garden culture of the United Kingdom, so that guests from all over the world are reminded of this tradition.

In the courtyard Enea created green islands in curving bronze planters filled with mature Japanese maple trees (Acer palmatum) and soft evergreen waves of yew (Taxus baccata). Spatial organization here was also important. Therefore, the Enea landscape architects defined the drop-off area and space for car and pedestrian circulation, reserving the required parking spaces for the hotel fleet and the Peninsula Vintage Limousines. The planting was developed in coordination with the architects (Peter Marino) and the engineer to accommodate mature trees in recessed planters. Japanese Maples (Acer palmatum dissectum and osakazuki) were chosen after an analysis of the light and wind conditions together with the given structural constraints and following the client’s requirements. Due to the underground parking garage, the amount of soil depth was limited. The Japanese maple tree is an elegant species with delicate green leaves in summer, turning into a vibrant red in autumn. Their canopies create a room-like atmosphere beneath them and a dappled shadow on the ground. Also, this tree is well-known for its resistance to possible pests. The trees grew in France and were brought to a local tree nursery in London, where they stayed one year before the transplanting into the courtyard to ensure they adapted to the new climate.

In order to create a strong green aesthetic, smooth the formality of the architecture, and add additional habitat for insects and birds, vertical planting of evergreen star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) and purple wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) has been integrated onto the facades. The vertical planting of these ‘flowering walls’ was developed together with the architect, integrating planters at the second and eighth floors, transforming the courtyard into a green room.

The design principles developed within the courtyard have been carried through to the other project areas including the residential entrance and the colonnade along Grosvenor Place. Here vertical climbing plants and pots add additional green, attracting the attention of pedestrians passing by.