Dominvs Group has opened its flagship Holborn site as a community garden that is open to the public as its meanwhile use.

The community-built garden offers free workshops, exhibitions, and events to Londoners looking to learn more about sustainability through workshops, installations, and performances.

Dominvs Group, Culture Mile, and the Foundation for Future London worked on the project, as did award-winning creative firm Play Nice. Over 200 young people were recruited from throughout the capital to assist with everything from planting and building the garden to arranging a series of workshops and presentations.

Urban Growth developed the garden's sustainable landscape, which included temporary structures made from material sourced from adjacent construction sites. Once the project is completed, these temporary shelters will be relocated throughout London, where they will continue to serve local communities.

Jay Ahluwalia, Senior Director of Dominvs Group commented: “This initiative shows how culture and commerce can work together to ensure the Square Mile is a fantastic place for to live, work and visit.

“Last month, we launched a brand-new Social Value Unit as part of our continued commitment to put community value at the very heart of our future growth plans and development schemes.

“As a business, we want to deliver best-in-class developments that add value to local communities – both throughout the development lifecycle and over the long term. The launch of Gaia’s Garden is part of that strategy.”

Wendy Hyde, Chair of the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, said: “This innovative collaboration with Play Nice and Dominvs Group shows what can be achieved when culture and commerce work together. Gaia’s Garden, situated in our cultural district Culture Mile, showcases the transformative power of creativity – bringing together young people from different communities to create something bold and exciting that will rejuvenate and revitalise the City.”

Maria Adebowale-Schwarte, CEO of the Foundation for Future London, said: “Gaia’s Garden is a wonderful example of how commerce and culture can work hand in hand to rejuvenate the City’s public green spaces, while empowering young Londoners to gain new skills in producing, placemaking, and programming. The Foundation for Future London is pleased to see Play Nice’s innovative Fusion Prize-winning project flourish and grow from strength to strength through this valuable collaboration with Dominvs, and we can’t wait for Londoners to get involved in this new meanwhile initiative.”

The project is part of Dominvs’ strategy to ensure the Group delivers best-in-class social value propositions across all its development schemes in London. It comes after the Group's recent acquisition of SeerBridge, a renowned social value consultant, in an effort to elevate the standards in the property market for community support.