Barton Square - Manchester
Situated within Trafford City, Barton Square is abode to compelling leisure and luxurious high-street labels all beneath one magnificent dome and barrel-vaulted glass roof.
As part of the recent refurbishment of Barton Square shopping centre, every detail was designed to reflect its grand Roman theme—complete with intricate murals and gold-leaf embellishments. To complement this setting, we were asked to create an avenue of artificial Washingtonia palms that would match the high level of finish and quality throughout the space. While real palms weren’t an option due to watering requirements, the replicas needed to be indistinguishable from the real thing.
To achieve a natural, varied look, we designed clusters of palms at assorted heights with carefully shaped bending trunks. Each planter of three palms was unique, creating the appearance of organic growth. In total, we manufactured 12 groups—36 palms altogether. The trees were built around a strong internal steel core, bent into shape and secured to steel baseplates for stability. We then added carved FR sculpting foam, sealed with a durable fibreglass coating and finished with a hand-painted bark texture. To further enhance realism, preserved palm boot husks were attached to the trunks, mimicking the pruned and fallen frond effect characteristic of Washingtonia palms. Fire safety was also a priority, so we used our FireSilx inherently fire retardant palm fronds to ensure compliance with the shopping centre’s requirements.
Once installed, the palms instantly transformed the space, bringing a sense of warmth and vibrancy to the grand Roman-inspired setting. Their variation in height and shape creates a natural, dynamic look, and with no watering or maintenance required, they’ll continue to enhance Barton Square for years to come.
