Travellers flying from Gate 25 Terminal 3 at the west London airport will go through what Heathrow has dubbed a ‘Garden Gate’, the first, it says, in the UK.
The gate is created with seven 1.8m high x 2.4m wide Biotecture green walls, each with 240 plants, including English Ivy and the Peace Lily.
On average 287,274 passengers go through Gate 25 every year Heathrow strategy director Emma Gilthorpe said passengers can now "enjoy a natural sanctuary of rest and relaxation as they make their way through the airport"
"We are proud to have received our best ever passenger service scores to date this summer, but we are always keen to make our passengers’ journeys better. "
The walls will be trialled for the next 6 months and could be replicated across the airport if successful.
Biotecture director Richard Sabin said: "The world’s major cities are increasingly investing in green infrastructure, and the Garden Gate, both technically and ecologically, is cutting edge for its ease of installation, unique plant selection and LED lighting system. As the nexus of transit and technology, transportation hubs are ideal locations for green infrastructure to become an investment in public health and well-being."
Singapore Changi Airport, Edmonton International Airport, Canada and Christchurch Airport, New Zealand are among the international airports to have installed living walls inside their terminals. Changi Airport has been voted by customers as the World's Best Airport by air travellers for the fourth consecutive year at the Skytrax 2016 World Airport Awards, with its use of horticulture often cited as a factor in passenger appreciation. Heathrow is currently Europe’s Best Airport in the same awards.
