GARDEN DESIGN
CHAPTER HOUSE
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ANDY STURGEON
BY ANYA COOKLIN-LOFTING
Covent Garden is one of London’s
most celebrated cultural
neighbourhoods. Of late, this
pocket of London has become
a world famous destination for
fashion, culture, food and theatre
lovers. Covent Garden is lesser
known, however, for its capacity
for residential living, and even less
so, for its garden space. In fact, the
garden space within the residential
enclave that is Chapter House, the
newest development by lifestyle-led
property developer, Londonewcaste,
is what makes it quite so appealing.
The majority of the 40 apartments
at Chapter House feature generous
outdoor space. The terraced spaces
were created by Chelsea award-
winning landscape and garden
design firm, Andy Sturgeon Design,
whom I speak to today about his
brief, inspirations and solutions for
city gardens to tend, use year-round
and enjoy.
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www.landud.co.uk
ANYA COOKLIN-LOFTING: What
was your brief for the design
schemes at Chapter House? What
were the specific requirements that
you needed to fulfil?
ANDY STURGEON: My design team
and I were appointed to design a
number of small terraces, gardens
and a mews for the Chapter
House Project. The concept for
the development was to express
different planting styles based on
the floor levels and micro climates
of the terraces. The spaces were
designed to have movement. From
lush green planting in the basement
to sun-loving perennial planting on
the top level.
ACL: How do you visualise your
schemes? In terms of shapes, the
sensible experience of the space or
the practical uses?
AS: Each space I design is carefully
analysed in terms of sunlight and
shading, views, how people use the
space, what the demographic of
the user would be and the existing
landscape conditions. We then
take briefs from the clients and
prepare concept documents which
summarise and consider all the
analysis. This would also be the
stage at which we present the strong
concept idea to move forward with.
ACL: What plants did you specify
for the Chapter House gardens, and
why?
AS: The plants we chose were
specified to fit the aspect of the
terraces and gardens. The shadier
gardens included shade tolerant
species such as Dicksonia Antarctica,
Libertia Grandiflora and Nandina
Domestica. The sunnier spaces
at the top of the development
include species such as Amelanchier
Lamarkii, Cistus and Pennisetum
Alopecuroides Hameln.
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