The Grand Canal Square Project
Lighting the Way: Bespoke Illuminated Planters Define Grand Canal Square, Dublin
In the heart of Dublin’s vibrant South Docklands, Grand Canal Square has become a bold new symbol of the city’s cultural and commercial regeneration. Framing the entrance of a landmark office building within this prestigious 10,000m² development, a set of bespoke illuminating planters, designed and manufactured by Europlanters, now brings sculptural elegance, atmospheric lighting, and structural greenery to this high-profile location.
Transport and Installation
Once complete, the oversized planters — each weighing approximately 126kg — were carefully loaded onto 44ft lorries for a 197-mile journey across the Irish Sea in two batches. Delivered directly to the Dublin site, the planters were craned and manoeuvred into position using forklifts, with careful coordination between landscape contractors, engineers, and building management.
For the outdoor troughs, where 3.5m tall Maytenus Boaria trees were being planted, A-frames and stainless steel guy ropes were used to provide wind protection. Interior triangle planters were filled with 6.5m tall Bucida Buceras, creating dramatic vertical accents in the atrium. Underplanting with Spathiphyllum added texture and contrast, while Mona tank irrigation systems were installed throughout to support long-term plant health.
The scale of the installation was substantial: 17 tonnes of compost and 4.5 tonnes of drainage media were used across all planters.
A Landmark Collaboration
“This has been one of our most exciting and technically ambitious projects to date,” said John Wilkes, Director of Europlanters. “The illuminated planters are not only functional but play a central role in the visual identity of the building and the wider development. We’re proud to have been involved in such a prestigious, design-led scheme.”
Lighting the Future of Landscape Architecture
The Grand Canal Square project illustrates how architectural planters can do far more than hold plants — they can act as statement pieces, sculptural lighting features, and powerful brand ambassadors for buildings and public spaces. For architects and landscape professionals, this project underscores the importance of collaboration, customisation, andtechnical innovation in delivering high-impact urban spaces.
From its geometry to its glow, this planter project is a reminder that thoughtful design can seamlessly integrate the built environment with nature, light, and movement — elevating not just the façade, but the experience of place itself.
Sculptural Form Meets Urban Identity
Specified by Greenscene Interiors, the project called for a highly customised solution: giant GRP planters with integrated LED lighting, able to visually align with the bold architectural geometry and vivid colours of Grand Canal Square. The planters’ sleek finish in satin RAL 3003 was carefully chosen to echo the famous “red carpet” paving of resin glass and the lipstick-red light sticks that line the grand walkway, a defining visual of the area.
Designed for both the atrium interior and the entrance exterior, the installation consists of two key planter types:
- Triangular illuminated planters, nearly 4 metres in length and 1.1 metres high, placed within the expansive glass atrium, referencing the geometry of the space and the stained-glass skylight above.
- Trough planters measuring 2m x 1.5m x 1.1m high, installed outdoors, where their glow helps animate the building’s public-facing facade and draws attention to the grand entrance.
Engineering Brilliance, Built to Last
Due to their size, complexity, and function, the planters required an intensive design and engineering process. The Europlanters production team in Cheshire worked closely with the visiting Dublin-based design team to prototype and test the first planter, ensuring every detail — from material strength to lighting resilience — met the brief.
Each planter was internally reinforced and braced, with stainless steel fixings for both structural integrity and lighting support. LED lighting units were installed behind diffused panels to create a seamless glow at night, transforming the planters into luminous sculptures as well as containers for greenery.
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