National Park City Rooftops: 20 - 21 July
Celebrate London's great outdoor spaces through access to green rooftops
London National Park City is working with Mayor of London on the first National Park City Festival. The festival runs from 20-28 July 2019 and will mark London becoming a National Park City and celebrate London’s amazing outdoors.
The free festival will celebrate London's green spaces, wildlife, green rooftops and waterways, and aims to help a wide range of Londoners discover new environmental, cultural, sporting and community activities.
Open City is partnering with the Mayor of London as a delivery partner for the flagship ‘Open Rooftops’ event as part of the wider festival, showcasing the vital green infrastructure, biodiversity and wildlife that London’s rooftops offer. This new initiative builds on the Open House tradition of opening up London’s best architecture to the public annually, for free - and will give the unique opportunity for Londoners to gain access to some of London’s best and often-hidden rooftops and connect with nature in a unique way.
Open Rooftops will take place in the first weekend of the festival - 21 - 22 July - inviting the public to the sky to take in panoramic views of the city through 20+ participating buildings. The full programme will go live end of May and you can read more about the programme here.
We believe that an Open City is an equitable city - one in which all citizens have a stake in their environment, and one which celebrates sustainable design with a social dimension.
Interested in volunteering for the weekend?
We need volunteers to help across the different participating buildings during the weekend. As a volunteer you will be helping building owners/representatives to open their buildings to the public. In a lot of cases, the buildings would not be able to open without volunteer support. You only have to commit one morning or afternoon on one day during the event. Volunteering will be excellent experience for those wanting to work in arts, architecture or design and public engagement.
If you would like to get involved please email volunteers@open-city.org.uk with the subject line: National Park City Rooftops.
Building rooftop highlights include:
© Paul Lincoln
Golden Lane Estate Rooftop
This recently restored roof which is now safe for residents to use will feature new planting and panoramic views of the city
This recently restored roof which is now safe for residents to use will feature new planting and panoramic views of the city
© Coq D'Argent
1 Poultry
Long in the planning, this Stirling design has shops at lower levels, with five floors of offices and roof garden/restaurant above.
Long in the planning, this Stirling design has shops at lower levels, with five floors of offices and roof garden/restaurant above.
© Gillespies
Crossrail Place Roof Garden
Located above the new station, the garden showcases unusual plants from across the globe, encased beneath an intricate lattice roof.
Located above the new station, the garden showcases unusual plants from across the globe, encased beneath an intricate lattice roof.
© Firmdale Hotel
Ham Yard Hotel Roof Terrace
On the forth floor of the hotel, this large, leafy roof top garden is home to two bee hives which is maintained and managed by a dedicated bee keeper.
On the forth floor of the hotel, this large, leafy roof top garden is home to two bee hives which is maintained and managed by a dedicated bee keeper.
