Commercial hardwood bench at Kew Bridge

Kew Bridge

Designing an Iroko Hardwood Bench as part of a Landscaping scheme

Commercial hardwood bench at Kew Bridge, designed and installed as part of an important landscaping feature. The main feature is an open courtyard scheme with substantially raised planters and stepped walkways with occasional timber seating throughout the scheme.

Furthermore, the Scheme is part of the prestigious development by St George WL and is situated alongside the Thames at the famous Kew bridge. Hundreds of apartments including luxury penthouses, the development even has its own pub “One over the Ait, by Fullers”

In the first instance, decorum was approached to offer a timber solution to concept drawings as well as work alongside Joseph Gallagher and Broadway Malyan to create the floating benches.

The civils, carried out by the specialists at Joseph Gallagher and comprised of hundreds of tonnes of formed concrete. We also worked with McNealy Brown to create a design for the 10mm stainless 316 frames and bracketry. Fixed with resin anchors and millimetre precision.


Timber choices and fixing methods

The Iroko, certified FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council), in large sections was reverse anchor fixed. We formed the benches over concrete upstands and had to account for massive expansion joints in the concrete forms. Because of this elongated holes and specialist designed nylon fixings allowed the benches to move with the concrete

Most exterior timbers in a commercial situation are specified as Cumaru. This is getting a scarce commodity and not always correctly certified. Further, that with EUTR and the regulatory decision to only use well documented and ethically sourced timber has forced a decision change for Karl Harrison Landscapes. It’s also common knowledge that the major timber importers and distributors in the UK refuse to carry these tropical hardwoods anymore. They prefer to recommend Accoya®, Kebony® and Lignia® (In no particular order) sustainable, certified and warranted for insane duration and all with incredible durability for exterior use.

Karl Harrison said, “Tropical hardwoods are becoming increasingly difficult to authenticate for their certification, I prefer to specify modified timber… its more efficient in all attributes as well as certification of course”

Furthermore, Karl Harrison Landscapes offers a design consultancy for landscaping works, exterior materials and construction solutions for exterior works.


Credits and Further information

Location                       Richmond upon Thames, Hounslow

Main Contractor:         St George WL

Civil works:                  Joseph Gallagher

Architect:                     Broadway Malyan

Metal Fabricator:        McNealy Brown


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About Karl

Karl Harrison designs, builds and delivers high end residential and commercial landscaping projects.

He brings clarity to unusual situations, new materials and understands how to apply them with current technology. He is a professional Engineer and demands attention to detail that ensures impeccable results.

We absolutely love the space that Karl & his team created for us.

See how we can help you...

We adapt to the needs of every client, fluent in a combination of traditional techniques ensuring the hard landscaping works in harmony with the soft planting, garden art and style in your garden.

We hope you like what you see.

We’d love to meet you in your garden to see how we can turn your outdoor space into a work of art.