BRI ROOF GARDEN 2019

The client wanted a place for NHS staff who work in the central Bristol Cancer unit to go so that they could relax and wind down during break times throughout their working day, and wanted proposals to create a wellbeing roof garden. The budget was £25,000, so the designer we worked alongside, Alex Johnson, of Alex Johnson Landscape Design, was asked to make the best use of the budget to...

The client wanted a place for NHS staff who work in the central Bristol Cancer unit to go so that they could relax and wind down during break times throughout their working day, and wanted proposals to create a wellbeing roof garden. The budget was £25,000, so the designer we worked alongside, Alex Johnson, of Alex Johnson Landscape Design, was asked to make the best use of the budget to incorporate seating and planting to maximise the space so that the staff could take time out and enjoy the view when working in such a stressful environment.

This was a dismal area. Although it had great views of the Bristol skyline, staff were reluctant to venture up there. It was a poorly maintained concrete and tiled area with abundant trip hazards. The space was wide open and unwelcoming, the only concession to comfort being a few dilapidated seats. 

Situated 8 storeys up on the rooftop of the Oncology department made it challenging works. All works had to take place out of hours, so there was a lot of evening and weekend work. Elevators were used where possible but anything over 2.0m length had to be carried up the eight flights of stairs.

Plants were chosen for qualities to provide shelter, impact, wind tolerance, hardiness, all year round presence and protection, also beauty and scent. We also felt it would be important to create a sense of maturity and abundance from the start to give staff enjoyment for the rest of this season. The garden is viewed from a small conservatory on the roof so the garden will form part of the view even when no one ventures outside, therrfore important that there is interest all year round

The finished result was a complete transformation. The staff could not believe it, there were smiling faces all around. It had changed the environment completely. Staff members now use the area to have their lunch, to relax and just to meet colleagues and have a quiet chat when taking time out in such a stressful and often sombre working environment. They were all really happy with the end result.

The setting is both spectacular and challenging. The finished result made the most of the former, preserving and framing the views, and made opportunities of the latter in using the limitations – weight, exposure, openness, bleakness – as drivers for the design process.