London Garden Design, E16

Brief

This London garden design was a roof terrace designed to entice residents out of their apartments. The client owns a number of flats within a private residential block in Canning Town, East London. The block is home to approximately a hundred residents. Currently, the block benefits from a communal roof terrace. However, this space is uninspiring and mainly used as an area for smoking and the occasional barbeque.

The brief was to develop a second roof terrace for communal use by the residents. Views out from the terrace include the Millennium Dome and the canopies of the trees in a neighbouring park. These views should be emphasised in the new design.

Solution

The design creates a contemporary and vibrant space using a series of modular units, comprising steel planters with built-in seating and tables on a grid of interlocking decking. These units vary in size to provide places to eat or relax for varying sizes of group. A large section of artificial lawn located in the sunniest corner of the terrace will feature a number of built-in, bespoke, artificial lawn covered sun loungers/seats. The decking features a large square insert of turquoise Perspex, which will be backlit to bring the space to life in the evening. The Perspex theme is continued with the addition of brightly coloured, varied length Perspex rods through the planters, while Perspex armchairs provide durable and contemporary individual seating.

Specimen shrubs provide structural backbone to the planting scheme, complemented by evergreen grasses to give colour and movement, and hardy architectural plants that will maintain their appeal throughout the seasons. The planting is also chosen for its vibrant foliage colour and low maintenance. Two sides of the terrace will be screened using small, coloured Perspex squares on stainless steel tension wire interspersed with planting, to allow privacy to the residents that own terraces directly below without masking the surrounding views. On a third side, a structural glass screen makes the terrace safe but does not affect the views. Smokers are provided with an area of seating in a sheltered spot located close to the doors out on to the terrace. Shelter from the wind comes from large specimens shrubs.