Paper Garden Wins Community Space Award

The Paper Garden, the learning and growing space set up by our partners Global Generation in collaboration with Jan Kattein Architects and with support from British Land, has won a Golden Pineapple at the Developer and Festival of Place Pineapple Awards.

The ‘Pineapple for Community Space’ award recognises the impactful contribution to public life of the Paper Garden, located on the old Printworks site. Judges said: “With 3,000 people involved in making it, this is a phenomenal effort in a place without a huge existing community. In an environment of regulation and responsibility, this project has taken the opportunity to experiment. It shows how community buildings can do that with originality and creativity. The project’s deep-rooted qualities are unmistakable, and it is at the top of the league in terms of circularity and material re-use.”

The thousands of volunteers who created Paper Garden transformed an industrial storage shed formerly used by the Daily Mail into an educational building and garden. The cordwood walls of the classroom were built by local people with YesMake, a design and build collective who teach communities how to construct spaces for themselves using locally reclaimed supplies. 60% of the materials used in the project were reused, with many of them reclaimed from the original site. Architecture Today called the Paper Garden “one of the UK’s most successful circular building projects to date”, recognising the commitment to circular economy principles and environmental sustainability that drives the project.

Emma Trueman, Head of Projects and Outreach in Canada Water at Global Generation, said: “In times when young people face environmental and social crises, it’s vital that spaces are available for community organisations. Global Generation is proud of our partnership with Canada Water, engaging young people and generating the needed change to build a brighter future.” 

Seth Randall-Goddard, Global Generation’s Senior Education & Garden Co-ordinator, added: “We are very pleased to hear that we’ve been awarded the Golden Pineapple! We work hard all year round with the schools and families of Surrey Quays and the surrounding area, so it’s nice to be able to read and hear that we’ve been recognised for the work that we do. As we always say, the garden is built with one thousand hands, so the award doesn’t just celebrate the work of our team, but all the residents, new friends and old, colleagues, school groups, and many individuals who’ve come through the garden over the years.”

The win is the latest in a string of accolades for the Paper Garden, including a Thornton Education Trust Inspire Future Generations Award (Climate Change category), a New London Award (Meanwhile category), the New London Awards Environmental & Sustainability Prize and the Civic Trust Pro Tem Award.

Roger Madelin, British Land’s Joint Head of Canada Water, said: “This richly deserved award recognises the hard work of so many people to create a truly special space in the Paper Garden. British Land are committed to building the Canada Water development as a place where people and nature can thrive. We’re proud to partner with Global Generation, who have involved local primary school children, young people and families in the project in a collaborative effort to create this community-focused green space.”   

The garden is now open to all on the first and third Saturdays of every month. Projects hosted at the space include the Young Generators Youth Leadership Programme for 10- to 18-year-olds, and Gardening Evenings where experienced gardeners share their skills and knowledge.