The Mayor and his Chief Advisor on Architecture and Urbanism Richard Rogers have compiled a set of Case Studies of London Living Roofs. This complements the Living Roofs Statement released earlier this year.
Living Roofs are roof gardens, terraces and green (vegetated) roofs. They offer benefits by providing new accessible open space, biodiversity habitat, energy efficiency, sustainable drainage, and other aspects of building performance. Living Roofs are supported through the London Plan and its supplementary guidance, and the Mayor’s Energy and Biodiversity Strategies.
One of the central aims of the London Plan is to make London more liveable for its residents as its population grows over the next decades. There is an overwhelming need to create a higher quality environment, both inside and outside our homes. To create sustainable communities, inner-city living must be attractive to a range of different people – families with children, young couples, older residents as well as single person households. This is why we must make more of our existing and future assets with imaginative solutions that respond to everyday needs of space, sunlight and access to open space. As the city becomes denser, with more people living closer together in well connected urban neighbourhoods, access to the outdoors is increasingly at a premium.
Having direct access to open space makes a substantial difference to the quality of everyday life. It provides a sense of visual and physical relief, allowing people to expand their living experience and enjoy the benefits of city living. Well designed, attractive roofs, balconies and terraces provide ‘gardens’ for homes and add to the social, environmental and economic value of the typical residential unit by providing a space where people can carry out some of their favourite activities – gardening, growing vegetables, outdoor eating, or simply relaxing and playing in the fresh air – and a place where wildlife can flourish.
Well cared for, attractive and lively external ‘private’ spaces add to the beauty of the street and the sense of community and local civic pride in an area, promoting social cohesion through visual contact and communication. Many of London’s typical urban neighbourhoods – including Georgian and Victorian terraced housing – have the potential for roof gardens and terraces that would make them more attractive to a wider range of potential residents. Similarly, modern, well designed buildings need to include the sort of high quality outdoor spaces that compensate for the lack of a private garden, adding substantially to the quality of life of their residents.
An accompanying selection of case studies downloadable from the www.urbanroofgardens.com resources section provides inspiration to make our city better for everyone, and evidence that it is possible.
The Case Studies were launched by Jamie Dean of AUU at the ‘Green Roofs for Architects’ seminar on 15 June 2005
Greater London Authority
City Hall
The Queen’s Walk
London SE1 2AA
www.london.gov.uk