It wasn’t long ago that the only thing expected from a roof was for it to protect a building from the elements.
But times have changed and so has the role of the roof as we knew it. Increasingly this previously under-utilised space is being specified as a ‘Green’ or ‘Brown’ roof to encourage bio-diversity and wild life. These Urban Gardens are particularly prevalent in cities such as London where outside space is scarce.
Nearly three years ago SureSet Permeable Paving created a pathway for a roof garden project right in the heart of London’s South Bank that utilised natural hardwearing aggregates supplied by Long Rake Spar. They recently sent a photographer to capture how well the roof garden had settled in and were delighted with the results.
The clients brief for the BREEAM certified mixed-use development was to create a biodiverse, sustainable communal garden with an appealing finish in keeping with the luxury of the apartments.
Minimal environmental impact was a top priority; however it was also very important that the garden was aesthetically pleasing due to its visibility to surrounding buildings.
To assist with the efficient disposal of rainwater, SureSet were contracted to install their grid structure sub-base SureCell and permeable resin bound paving to create a fully permeable, SuDS compliant surface for which the specialist aggregates from Long Rake were the perfect solution.
Nearly three years after completion the landscape of the project has blended together to create an environmentally friendly communal garden for residents in an area of London where green, outside space is hard to come by.
Contractors: SureSet