Helix21

Thank you to Helix21 for a fantastic tour and talk around the Biophilic Living building today, which is opening later this year in Swansea City centre. I attended a site visit here just over a year ago, and it's quite impressive to see what they have achieved over that time. It was great to hear about the innovation behind the building such as the ambient loop heating system, as well as the vertical greenhouse and their plan to integrate nature throughout the building. I hope to see more buildings similar to this one in the future. We were fortunate enough to have fabulous weather which meant we could go up onto the roof, and take in the beautiful views. I cannot wait to visit again once it is open. The final image shows what part of the tower structure looked like when I first visited.

What a difference 6 months makes! The first photo captures the building as it was in August 2024, when we were only beginning to build on top of the existing Woolworths structure. The photo on the right captures where we are at now! With the building nearly complete structurally, seeing us move to the completion of the interiors. The second image highlights the step-like design of the build, with roof top gardens on level 6&7, leading up to the glasshouse beginning on level 8, and stretching up to level 11, providing more space for growing! Can't wait for this to be full of greenery come the summer! 🌱 ♻️ 🥬 🦢 🌍 #biophiliclivingswansea #mixeduseregeneration #swanseacity #wellbeingoffuturegenerations #citygreening #biodiversity #climatechange #emissions #greenenergysolutions Development Bank of Wales City & County of Swansea Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government Swansea University Pobl Group

A mixed-use regeneration project 🌿 The Biophilic Living project is part new-build, part pre-existing, taking over the old Woolworths building at 242-246 Oxford Street, Swansea. The old Woolworths structure will house our ground floor retail space, Biophilic Walkway, and over 30,000sqft of rentable Commercial space spread over three floors. The new structure houses Pobl Group ‘s 50 apartments, the two roof top gardens, green boarders, our 4 storey glasshouse where the Winter Garden sits, and an art&education zone sitting at the base of the tower. All of this, with green energy flowing through it! We hope the mixed-use design will generate movement and activity in the city centre, amplifying the sense of community through introducing new links to connect and discover the city. The Residential entrance will be accessible from the lane off of The Kingsway on the East of the build, with the Biophilic Walkway connecting Oxford Street and The Kingsway on the West! Lots going on! Great progress is happening, with completion due by the end of the Summer! ☀️🌿 #biophiliclivingswansea #mixeduseregeneration #swanseacity #wellbeingoffuturegenerations #citygreening #biodiversity #climatechange #emissions #greenenergysolutions Development Bank of Wales City & County of Swansea Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government Swansea University Pobl Group

The Glasshouse is finished! (Structurally anyway👷♂️) CambridgeHOK 's work here is done, it is looking stunning from inside and out. 4 storeys of growing space, seating and relaxation, meeting spaces and more! Great work by the CambridgeHOK team, thank you for your hard work in bringing the vision to life. Now to get working on the interior! 🌱 🥬 #glasshouse #citygreenhouse #cityviews #urbanglasshouse #verticlegardens #urbangreening #communityspaces #growing #citygardens #biophilicliving #swanseacitycentre #regeneration #regeneratingswansea #biophiliccities #rethinkingurbandesign #futurethinking #innovation #lowcarbonenergy #wellbeing #collaboration

Recent Site Progress! With the last few panes of glass going in the glasshouse, the scaffolding is coming down! Unveiling it in all its glory 🤩 The finishing touches to our floor 5 show flat are nearly complete, including filling the balcony plater with soil aggregate and blast furnace slag from the Port Talbot works (more on this to come), ahead of planting. We will be pre-populating each balcony planter ahead of the tenants moving in, to give them a kick start! Preparation is underway for the install of the windows on the front of the building, where we are maintaining as much of the existing structure as possible, which was previously Woolworths, Oxford Street! Nearly there! #biophiliclivingswansea #biophiliccities #urbanredevelopment #regeneration #mixedusedevelopment #cityliving #liveandwork #commercialspacetorent #greenbuilding #swanseacitycentre #glasshouse #greenspaces #community #rethinkingurbandesign #wellbeing #communalspaces

It's Energy Savers Week! 🌏 ♨️ An initiative run by Energy Saving Trust and Citizens Advice, to help people lower their energy usage for both financial and environmental benefits! With the energy crisis continuing, establishing better energy efficiency is needed, with long term solutions to ensure we’re not in this position again. At Biophilic Living, our energy system is fuelled by Daikin UK air-source heat pumps, combined with a thermal store and heavy insulation, to enable clean, affordable energy. One of the energy saving tips advised this week is to lower your boilers flow temperature. As standard, heat pumps circulate heat at a much lower temperature than traditional systems, requiring less energy to be used, and less energy lost, whilst still meeting the demands of the user. Rejected heat during cooling will then be stored in our sprinkler tank for later use, further enhancing the efficiency of the system. Heat Pumps are suitable for both new build developments and pre-existing, highlighting their ability to transform our energy systems. #BigEnergySavingWeek #EnergyEfficiency #SaveEnergy #ReduceBills #EcoFriendlyHome #EnergySavingTips #SustainableLiving #EnergyAwareness #UKEnergySaving #CostCutting #HomeEfficiency #LowerCarbonFootprint #GreenHomes #EnergyConservation #WinterEnergySavings #EcoTips #EnergySavingTrust #SustainableEnergy #HeatingSavings #EnergyAdvice #SmartEnergy #EnergySavings #UKEnergy #HomeEnergyTips #EcoHomes #EnergyReduction #EnergySavingSolutions #EfficientHome #EnergySmart #EnergySaver

Our 1st Contractor of the Month for 2025 is ..... Rydec Painting and Tiling Ltd! Ryan Williams 🖌️ 👷♂️ They began the project with mist coating the walls, before tiling the kitchen and bathroom areas. Now, the team are in giving our floor 5 show flat its final lick of paint, ahead of the remaining flats. A big thank you to the Rydec team for your hard work and professionalism, it’s been great having you guys on site, the flats are looking fab!! 🤩🤩 Read More here: https://lnkd.in/em9VXk24 #contractorofthemonth #contractorlife #careeresinconstruction #biophilicliving #residentialdevelopment #mixedusedevelopment #paintinganddecorating #localtrade #localbusiness #southwalespainters #southwalesdecorator #southwalestilers #swansea #citycentredevelopment #urbanliving #citygreening #communitygardens #affordableliving #greenenergy #socialhousing #pobl #community

Progress update at the Biophilic Living Scheme on the Kingsway, Swansea, which we, RPA, are proud to be involved in. The images showcasing the ongoing development of this pioneering project, part of the Innovative Housing Programme. Even with the grey skies, the site offers fantastic views overlooking Swansea, emphasizing the potential of this transformative development. The Biophilic Living project at Picton Yard represents a pioneering approach to urban living, combining affordable housing and modern workspaces, in the heart of Swansea City Centre. Designed to address critical issues such as social exclusion, loneliness, and the climate emergency, this project integrates nature into the urban environment, fostering a sustainable and cohesive community. We look forward to seeing this ground breaking scheme continue to take shape. Pobl Group Development Bank of Wales Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government Biophilic Living #quantitysurveyor #quantitysurveying #projectmanagement #biophilicdesign #biophilicarchitecture #biophilic #swansea #costconsultants #fundmonitoring #principaldesigner #urbandesign #urbandevelopment #innovativehousing #sustainableliving