Opening The Green & The Gardens

The campus developers Liberty Property Trust, and Countryside officially opened The Green & The Gardens with the help of guests from across the campus.

The Green & The Gardens is a public space for everyone on the campus, including patients, employees and visitors. Led by internationally renowned British artist Ryan Gander, in collaboration with Gillespies, landscape architects, the concept transforms the space into a green heart for the campus. Together they developed the design, selected the planting, furniture and lighting. Gander integrated sculptural elements: coloured tents that glow at night, an open gateway, a stile, and a community noticeboard for the whole campus to use.

The integrated art and landscape accentuate The Green & The Gardens’ role as a green heart for the campus and a shared place where anyone can come to think or socialise with others.

Andrew Blevins, Managing Director of Liberty Property Trust, opened proceedings “We are very excited to unveil The Green & The Gardens by Ryan Gander. The space reflects our commitment to enhancing the areas we develop through public art. Now, more than ever, The Green & The Gardens will provide the ideal physical space for “water cooler” moments and be transformed into a catalyst to nurture collaborations”.

Ryan Gander (OBE) spoke of his aspirations for the space, “If you think back through time, across England’s towns and villages there used to be common ground for all; a common place to walk around and for personal and communal recreation. My vision is for this public space to be reminiscent of that, a level playing field for everyone to play on. It is a space where the public realm meets public art to evoke feelings of recreation, time-out and escape. I hope it will be a catalyst to help people daydream a little, think their way out of any challenge they face and find inspiration for new thoughts and ideas.”

The event was attended by campus employees and local community members, including Dame Mary Archer (DBE) who was Chair of Cambridge University Hospitals during the projects inception, Professor Richard Gilbertson from Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, and Professor John Wallwork, Chair of Royal Papworth Hospital, who’s new hospital sits adjacent to The Green & The Gardens.