Renovation and Expansion Bents Garden & Home, Warrington (United Kingdom) 2014

Founded in 1937, the Bents story has grown over the past 70 years. Today Bents is an extensive and unique destination. Bents is the best and most innovative garden and home retailer in the UK. Premium quality plants and expert garden advice remain at the core of Bents' business. To lead the way in the garden center industry, Bents is always thinking of new ways to surprise and delight their customers.

Pedestrian canopies along the façade will provide both shade and weather protection. The canopies consist of large panels of perforated metal. The same material is also used on the façade at several shops that are established in the garden center.

This new Food Hall can be accessed via a separate entrance. A separate entrance provides access to ‘A Taste of Cheshire and Lancashire’. The façade of the Food Hall is made up of a natural green plinth.

Bents pays a great deal of attention to sustainability and recycling. Rainwater from the center’s roof will continue to be collected and recycled around the center to be used for toilets and to water all the plants.

There are thermal solar panels on the roof to capture heat radiated by the sun. Geothermal pipes absorb heat from the ground, and this is reused to provide underfloor heating.