As the future remains uncertain, architects are having to use their creative genes to invent experiences that we can enjoy outside should social distancing continue.
And let’s just say, they don’t always do things by halves.
In what sounds like a scene from a Hollywood film, an infinity pool submerged in a rooftop forest with over 100 trees and 10,000 plants is coming to London.
Located in Southwark, near London Bridge, the pool – which will flow over the edges to give the illusion of it having no boundaries – will be eco-friendly, heated by the building’s waste.
If you’re itching to grab your bikini or trunks to sip a Piña Colada while gazing out onto the city’s skyline, you might have to wait just a little bit longer though as while construction is due to kickstart in January 2021, it’s not expected to be completed until 2024.
The impressive expanse of greenery, covering more than one acre, is being created on the rooftop of an equally impressive building – the former Blackfriars Crown Court.
However, while the court served the neighbourhood by handling criminal cases, the makeover will transform the six-storey building into a place where the entire community can get involved.
Not only will it boast the rooftop, one of the largest urban gardens in Europe, it will also have a restaurant and bar, office space, an auditorium, and a variety of cafés and shops.
“Community goes further than a coffee, it’s about creating daily connections between the neighbourhood.”
Fabrix CEO, Clive Nichol
The developers, property investors Fabrix, are also hoping to introduce facilities for locals with community gardens, allotments, a potting shed and a seed bank on the roof.
Speaking about the impressive task ahead of them, CEO Clive Nichol said the vision for Roots In The Sky is a modern workplace that actively engages with its local surroundings, and helps shape a neighbourhood that is enjoyable, liveable and economically productive.
Nichol explained: “It’s a commercial building that aims to be a ‘good citizen’, offering a genuine place for community uses, contributing to the ongoing regeneration of Bankside and to London’s wider greening targets.
“This building anticipates the shift in the way people are thinking about their working life post-COVID. It’s designed with generous spaces and natural ventilation, access to nature and a mix of uses that reflects new ways of working and living.”
He added: “Community goes further than a coffee, it’s about creating daily connections between the neighbourhood and those using the building for work and leisure. We hope it serves as a statement on the value of sustainable, community-led development.”
Let the countdown to 2024 commence!
