In an incredibly impressive feat, an old London courthouse is going to get a gorgeous makeover, but in one of the unlikeliest places. Rather than do anything on the inside, the improvement is going to be the biggest rooftop forests in all of Europe, with 125 trees and over 10,000 plants all in all.
Luckily for those that want access to the lush rooftop forest, they will be able to enjoy this forest in the sky whenever they wish. Moreover, for people in the city, they will even have access to beds to grow in and gardening sheds, and even a seed bank and barn community.
The project is called the Roots in The Sky, and the architecture, design, and technology company that’s handling it is Fabrix. This isn’t the first time that they’ve recreated a fresh perspective into an old or underused urban space before either.
For this particular project, the company will add a swimming pool, bar, and even private terraces for the offices below. Moreover, the greenery will also be able to benefit from a passive water irrigation system and water capture all to supplement the flora and fauna. The hope is that this project will help reintroduce wildlife to the city as well.What visitors can also enjoy is that from the top of the 1.4 acre recreated urban woodland, they will have an unimaginable view of The Shard, as well as the rest of the impressive London skyline.
Considering that this new forest will add 1,300 tons of soil on the rooftop, the design team also created a hybrid structure of steel and cross laminated timbers to support it.
The actual name of the building is “Blackfriars Crown Court,” which was formerly used to hear court cases on Pocock Street in Southwark. Eventually, it was sold off by the government. This may also explain why the exterior of the building is quite masculine, covered in grey concrete and brick.
The design team plans to turn the harsher outside exterior, as well as the court rooms inside the building, into a more modern and welcoming office space, which will total almost 400,000 square feet for all 7 floors.
The project, which is set to begin in January of 2023, will definitely be a major attraction for both tourists and locals alike.
According to The Greater London Authority, the project is “An exemplary scheme that demonstrates what is possible when urban greening is truly considered as a fundamental aspect of site and building design. The project team should be commended for the approach they have taken to urban greening.”
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