This 45-sqm Chelsea roof terrace occupies the north side of a modern penthouse apartment. Couple with a sunny balcony facing the iconic Stamford Bridge Stadium, the 2 terraces add diverse habitats for plants & outdoor activities.
Project Name: Chelsea Rooftop Terrace
Studio Name: Mylandscapes LTD
While the sunny balcony features culinary herbs & a Lemon tree, the main terrace is mostly shaded. The outline is a long acute triangle, awkwardly configured. To mitigate this narrowness, we repurposed the existing pavers and relaid them at a 40-degree angle to expand spatial depth.
By removing every fourth band of slabs and replacing them with new purple sandstone, a dynamic rhythm was introduced, creating bays onto which the furniture set and raised beds were superimposed.
3 large raised beds are set into the new grid, detailed in Iroko hardwood coping, movable castors & architectural plants. Sculptural Corkscrew Hazel trees punctuate the beds, underplanted with Carex sedges and Astelia. This scheme is architecturally engaging both summer & winter, when in the deciduous stage the trunks reveal their beautiful contortions.
A built-in bench is set into the raised beds’ front angles, clad in chunky Iroko beams, with upright supports in a contrasting stainless steel. Lighting in the cavities generates a warm ambience at night.
A beautiful limestone sculpture by artist Elliott Brotherton forms the main focal point of the terrace, positioned near the entrance, enjoyed in an indoor-outdoor interlink. Called ‘The Hug’, the romantic artwork depicts a couple caressing, apt for our clients. The material was reclaimed from an old house demolition, its bright tones reflect light and vivify the shaded terrace.
Rectangular troughs add contrast and usability to the planting scheme, contrasted by large dark bowls for Silver Birch trees, mulched in striking Turkish red cobbles. Equipped with heating, seating, lighting, irrigation & a BBQ, the bluestone Belgian furniture 8-seater is a capacious lifestyle feature, where evergreen planting adds much-needed privacy around it against the iconic Chelsea skyline.
