Local building and refurbishment specialist, Conamar, has completed work on John Lewis’ new roof garden at its flagship store on Oxford Street.
To celebrate its 150th anniversary this year, John Lewis partnered with Tony Woods, the 2013 winner of the Royal Horticultural Society's National Young Designer of the Year, to install one of the largest roof gardens in London.
The 750 sq m (8,072 sq ft) garden space located on the sixth floor of the building, opened on 3 May, and will host a variety of events, including a pop-up cinema, sit-down restaurant and sports nights.
Conamar was the main contractor on the project, completing all works within a six week period. It was responsible for installing the scaffolding around the building, completing the concrete repairs and undertaking the electrical and plumping services, as well as managing all sub-contractors.
There were a number of associated challenges on this project, including the short time frame and accessibility. However, the greatest challenge was delivering materials onto the roof, which is located on the sixth floor. In order to manage the delivery of larger materials safely and securely, Conamar had to close side roads around the building, and use a 250-tonne crane to lift materials into place.
Neil Dower, Managing Director at Conamar, said: “The new roof garden has created a unique and contemporary space at John Lewis’ flagship store. It has not only helped celebrate the company’s heritage, but it has also created an important legacy for the future.”
The roof garden houses permanent features, including a band-stand, a fresh juice bar from Joe and the Juice, and a children’s vegetable patch.