Silva Cell adds Legacy Trees at Bomber Command Memorial

Framing the entrance to the historic Bomber Command bronze sculpture are two Silva Cell trees, growing large and helping provide an appropriately respectful atmosphere

Overview

Officially opening in June of 2012, the Bomber Command Memorial pays tribute to the Royal Air Force (RAF) service during the Second World War. The 9-foot tall bronze statue is housed in a memorial building surrounded by London’s Green Park. To create a sense of community belonging and to provide a sense of respectful solemnity to the area, two hardscape trees were planted in front of the memorial building, each one accessing 15 cubic meters of soil volume thanks to the Silva Cells below.

Installation Summary

Number of Silva Cells: 88 (1x)

Amount of Soil Volume Per Tree: 15 m³

Number of Trees: 2 London Plane

Type of Project: Streetscape

Project Designer: Liam O’Connor

Project Contractor: Gilbert Ash

Installation Date of Silva Cells: Spring 2012

Bomber Memorial and the Streetscape Trees

The Royal Armed Forces (RAF) Bomber Command Memorial stands in the northwest corner of London’s Green Park, steps from Buckingham Palace. Commemorating the 55,583 aircrew who died flying Bomber Command during World War II, the memorial was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on June 28, 2012, with thousands of surviving veterans and relatives from around the world in attendance.

The memorial’s centerpiece is built of Portland stone, with a bronze 9-foot (2.7-meter) sculpture of seven aircrew members. The plinth of the memorial has an inscription with the text, “Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it.” The roof is made of a stainless-steel diagrid representing the fuselage of a Lancaster bomber, and the lining sheet is made of aluminum recovered from a crashed bomber. The roof is inscribed with the words “Per Ardva ad Astra,” the official motto of the (RAF), which means “through adversity to the stars.”

The memorial also includes green infrastructure in the form of two London Plane (Plantanus acerifolia) trees that were incorporated into the design. The memorial designers, Liam O’Connor Architects and Planning consultants, sought a lasting and majestic presence to their design. The trees complement the surrounding Green Park, and like natural guardians, the trees provide separation and border between the busy road and the memorial, enhancing a sense of place.

A number of challenges were present in this project’s urban forestry element. In order to ensure both a large, healthy tree canopy to offer visitors a shady respite from the city heat, and to guarantee long-term sustainability of the trees, it was crucial to provide the two semi-mature London Planes with adequate soil volume. The highly compacted on-site urban soil would not do; likewise, the preexisting utilities along the central London street required flexibility for any underground solution.

The design team thus turned to the DeepRoot Silva Cells.

By supplying 15 cubic meters of uncompacted soil volume per tree, the Silva Cell system will maintain a healthy rooting environment for years to come. Also, by abutting the system to the adjacent soil under Green Park, the street trees will have access to more soil and even greater root growth in the future, while also providing an adaptable underground structure for the city’s utility network.

Westminster City Council recognised that the unique placement of the trees, between a memorial and busy Picadilly Road, a major thoroughfare in central London, would need substantial volumes of lightly compacted soil to help ensure the trees would achieve maturity. DeepRoot Silva Cells were instrumental in providing the London Planes the volume they need to grow large and strong. Simultaneously the Silva Cell’s accommodate below-grade gas and utility services.

DeepRoot is proud to have contributed in a small way to this important commemorative memorial project honoring the courageous veterans of the RAF Bomber Command.

Local Manufacturing

DeepRoot is committed to reducing our carbon footprint and supporting manufacturing in our communities – this is why our Silva Cells are built locally in the United Kingdom. Utilising this domestic manufacturing and shipping strategy, we are able to provide our customers with quality products and shorter fulfillment times.