Core idea

From the very beginning of the project we have been very keen to collaborate with All Souls to try to find a way for them to fully exploit this rooftop space. We have taken care that whatever we consider does not conflict with its role as a playground/sports pitch – we are looking for supplementary, not alternative, uses for this space.

Bearing this in mind, the core of our proposal is to create a rooftop allotment that can be easily retracted to the perimeter of the site, leaving the playing area free. We intend to use the pre-existing ‘cage’ as a trellis to grow runner beans, vines, tomatoes etc. on, before building retractable allotment boxes, similar to chests of drawers, in which they can grow ‘low rise’ vegetables and herbs. We envisage a scenario in which each class is given a plot to tend, perhaps growing the vegetables for school dinners. In the long term, we intend to build a wormery to produce compost from the school’s own food waste.  

We believe that there is a great deal of scope for this to become a model for other inner city schools to follow, providing a fun way for young urban children to learn more about nature and the environment, what constitutes a healthy diet and the importance of food waste, while also significantly increasing the local biodiversity.

For the duration of the Festival, we plan to celebrate these ideals by transforming the rooftop into a fruit and veg jungle that the children can explore and get lost in.