CBRE 595 Tower — Reception Planting and Open Office Planters

The brief

Plant a new corporate office fit-out at two points: the reception sequence, where a planted ledge is built into the reception storage unit and a rotated orchid arrangement sits on the transaction counter, and the open office on the far side of the floor, where freestanding planters break up the workstation neighborhoods.

Conditions

Level 02 corporate office fit-out in a multi-tenant tower. Reception planting is integrated into the millwork rather than freestanding, so container depth was fixed by the joinery. NEEDS DOCUMENTATION — measured light levels, HVAC exposure, window orientation, and service access not yet recorded.

Design rationale

Reception planting is built into the storage unit so greenery reads as part of the architecture at the point of arrival rather than as an object placed nearby. The orchid on the transaction counter carries colour at eye level where a visitor waits, and is rotated rather than left to decline. In the open office, freestanding planters at 29 inches high sit at seated sightline, dividing workstation neighbourhoods without closing them off. The bright-light tropical palette was specified to the building's actual light rather than defaulting to low-light survivors, which is what allows a seasonal rotation to read as a change in the space rather than a swap of similar green foliage.

Materials and specification

Four CB2 Kronos 28" planters — 29" W x 8" D x 29" H, interior planting depth 6 3/4". Reception planted ledge integrated into the reception storage millwork. Recurring orchid arrangement on the reception transaction counter. Plant palette is bright-light tropical species throughout, rotated seasonally. NEEDS DOCUMENTATION — specific species not yet recorded.

Installation

Installed March 12, 2024. Live plants installed into the planted ledge of the reception storage unit; the millwork and ledge were built by others as part of the fit-out. Four Kronos planters placed in the open office on the opposite side of the floor from reception. NEEDS DOCUMENTATION — exact planter positions, liner and drainage detail not yet recorded.

Technical detail

Shallow 6 3/4" interior planting depth on the Kronos planters constrains root volume and species selection, and raises watering frequency relative to a deeper container — one reason the account runs on a weekly rather than biweekly cadence. Reception planting is set into fixed millwork, so the ledge cannot be resized; species and specimen size had to suit the existing cavity. The palette is bright-light tropical, in contrast to the low-light specification used at Trilix, because the floorplate and window conditions differ. Note: the fit-out product selection sheet specified seven PL-01 planters; four were installed and are under Trendy Gardener's program. Reference documents are CBRE Design Collective drawings and a WRG product selection sheet; both are third-party copyrighted and must not be republished. Trendy Gardener's own layout diagram is the publishable asset.

Ongoing care

Weekly commercial plant maintenance with seasonal plant rotation and a recurring orchid rotation at the reception counter, running since the March 2024 installation and approaching three years. A separate holiday décor leasing package runs annually and is now in its third year: Trendy Gardener installs, removes, and stores a 7-foot fully decorated Christmas tree, two wreaths, two garlands, and two small Christmas trees. Installation takes place after Thanksgiving; removal and return to storage happen on January 1.

Outcome

Installed March 12, 2024. The plant maintenance account has run continuously since on a weekly service cadence and is approaching three years. The holiday décor leasing package has also renewed into a third year, so the client now buys two distinct recurring programs from Trendy Gardener — year-round horticultural service and a seasonal décor lease with off-site storage between seasons.