In response to feedback from businesses based in the nearby railway arches, Vauxhall One planted over 1100 plants to create a Clean Air Garden that stretches 160m along Albert Embankment.

In 2018, businesses had called for a major improvement in greening due to the space being exposed to high volumes of footfall, traffic and pollution. The design seeks to mitigate some of the unwanted environmental impacts by creating a natural barrier made up of a mixture of evergreens, shrubs and grasses. It features a repeating plant pattern, a tree sleeper border and breaks for natural desire line, as well as an easy-to-maintain irrigation system.

The resulting garden not only acts as a ‘first line of defence’ for those using the space, but also creates a more attractive visual focal point with a multitude of vibrant, colourful and unique contrasting plants.

Plants were carefully selected to assist in the preservation of endangered species in Lambeth (such as dragonflies, damselflies and the Daubenton’s Bat), and for their air filtering properties. Festucas and Sedum Album (White Stone Crop) help to reduce some of the worst levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10 particulates in the Vauxhall area, a large concentration of which had previously been recorded on Albert Embankment.

These works were approved by Lambeth in support of the their AQ Action Plan Framework, the Mayor’s Environment Strategy and Vauxhall One’s own aspirations to improve air quality for those who live, work and visit Vauxhall.