Hammerson : sows the seeds for Irish placemaking

In a first for Ireland, Hammerson last night welcomed celebrity gardener Diarmuid Gavin's critically-acclaimed 'Garden of Pure Imagination' at Dundrum Shopping Centre. The garden, which officially opened to the public on Saturday 20 May, will be open throughout the summer.

Inspired by the drawings and humour of eccentric artist Heath Robinson, Diarmuid's garden, which was awarded a Silver Gilt at the RHS & Chelsea Flower Show in 2016, combines traditional country garden planting with some intriguing special effects and offers a unique experience for shoppers, retailers and the wider community. The garden is the first Chelsea Flower Show exhibition to be recreated for the public, and Dundrum is the first shopping centre to host such a display in Ireland.

Initiatives such as this form a fundamental element in Hammerson's Product Experience Framework, creating destinations that are entertaining and exciting and give customers more reasons to visit. The garden invites visitors to 'Move Their Imagination' by springing to life every 15 minutes through a series of hidden cogs which drive a number of special garden guests and features. Over the course of the summer, the garden will play host to a series of different events, such as children's planting activities and garden yoga, which encourage visitors to get involved in gardening, learn about the living environment and promote sustainability, health and wellbeing.

The public launch this month follows a number of proactive asset management and placemaking initiatives that Hammerson has deployed at Dundrum since securing ownership in July 2016. Earlier this month, Smiggle celebrated its most successful launch globally when it opened to customers in Ireland for the first time at Dundrum.

Simon Betty, Director of Retail, Ireland at Hammerson said, 'Diarmuid's 'Garden of Pure Imagination' is an exciting addition for our customers; the innovative collaboration delivers a world-class retail environment and compelling point of differentiation for Dundrum as a leading retail and leisure destination. The centre's ability to bring such 'firsts' to Ireland is demonstrative of its position as a world class shopping centre.'

Opened in 2005, Dundrum Town Centre is Ireland's premier retail and leisure destination. The centre extends to approximately 1.5 million sq ft (140,000 sq m) and is anchored by four department and flagship stores, House of Fraser, M&S, Harvey Nichols and Penneys, alongside 120 retail stores, 38 restaurants and a 12 screen VIP cinema.

ENDS