Porcelain Roof Terrace

The project

A London roof terrace laid in porcelain on adjustable pedestals with lightweight planters and automatic irrigation, built over an occupied floor below.

The effort behind it

Every kilo counted: the structural engineer set a 150kg/m² limit, so planters were specified in fibreglass with lightweight substrate and the paving was pedestal-mounted to keep the build-up dry. All materials went up in a service lift in 25kg loads over four days, and the waterproofing was flood-tested for 48 hours before anything was laid on it.

Challenges faced

Porcelain Roof Terrace asked the team to deliver a finished-looking garden in a single season — against wet ground, delivery restrictions in Shoreditch, London EC2, and planting that only tolerates being moved at the right time of year. Sequencing hard works before any soil improvement, and holding an experienced crew together through the weather delays, was what made the difference.

Team & involvement

A core landscaping crew stayed with the project from first excavation to the final sweep, supported by our in-house stone masons, electricians and planting specialists. Because the same team set out, built and finished the work, the detailing stayed consistent across every square metre — and the client dealt with one foreman and one phone number throughout.

A successful outcome

One season after completion, the garden at Porcelain Roof Terrace has settled exactly as designed: drainage performing through the wettest months, paving uncracked and planting establishing ahead of schedule. The client's own verdict, at the twelve-month aftercare visit, was that it looks as though it has always been there — the highest compliment a landscape can earn.