Loo Gardens: Tideway launches hidden subterranean garden in London’s super sewer
By Rupert Cole on Monday, July 3, 2023
Tideway, the company on a mission to upgrade London’s sewage system, have launched an underground oasis in the form of a subterranean garden installation. ‘Loo Gardens’ is located 50 metres underground, in the heart of the Tideway Thames Tunnel, London’s new super sewer.
To create elements of the gardens, Tideway used repurposed waste that had been cleared from the banks of the Thames. The garden also features hyper-realistic, hand painted flowers, as well as sustainable artificial plants and flora to reflect those that will thrive as a result of the effects of the sewer. The campaign was created to symbolise the positive environmental impact that Tideway are aiming to have on London, by ensuring that millions of tonnes of raw sewage are prevented from entering the Thames each year.
The activation shows that London is just a year away from a more sustainable sewage system and a healthier Thames, as the Tideway Thames Tunnel will be activated for testing from next summer, and is due to be complete in 2025. The project has also already led to over 4,000 sustainable jobs and more than 150 apprenticeships.
Andy Mitchell, CEO of Tideway, said: “We’re thrilled to unveil Loo Gardens – an underground oasis that symbolises the incredible environmental legacy that the Thames Tideway Tunnel will offer London and its communities for years to come. This subterranean haven provides a multisensory experience, featuring the nature that will thrive once the super sewer is fully up and running. The garden points to a cleaner, greener future, and an example of the long-lasting legacy the tunnel will leave, far outlasting its construction.”
Tideway are also offering the public the opportunity to visit the sewer and explore the garden through a competition with Time Out.
