ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW - TREE TOP WALKWAY

Kim Sheard Design were commissioned by and worked in conjunction with
Inwood Developments Ltd for our specialist production services to make
Chestnut timber capping for the Kew gardens tree top walkway.

Designed by Marks Barfield Architects, the walkway is 18 meters high and 200 meters
in length built from weathering steel by W.S.Britland & Co Ltd of Dover.

Inwood Developments Ltd have pioneered the use of Sweet Chestnut, finger-jointed and
laminated together from small diameter coppice timber and thinnings, which would otherwise
be pulped. The sections are used for rain screen cladding, structural beams and joinery.

Kim Sheard Design formed all the curved sections and junctions necessary for the capping to
follow the metal structure up the stairway and around the walkway from the workshop in Sussex.

Km Sheard Design were then commissioned by W.S.Britland & Co Ltd for the fitting of the
timber capping and all other timber elements on site. These included a handrail with under lighting,
plant room doors, timber screens, and a display of timber baulks cut from felled trees at Kew garden,
all of which are positioned in the entrance area.