Lyric Hammersmith Opens Hammersmith London Eco Roof Garden, Official Opening 6/11

The Lyric Hammersmith and HammersmithLondon are thrilled to open the landmark theatre's new roof garden. Environmental charity Groundwork, London has transformed the Lyric's roof terrace into a garden for the whole community, and not just theatre ticket holders, to enjoy. The official opening will take place on Thursday 11 June and will include speeches from its designers - Royal Horticultural Society Gold Medal winning Landscape Architects Adam White and Andrée Davies.

The garden is the brain child of the Lyric Hammersmith, and HammersmithLondon Business Improvement District (BID), which represents over 350 companies in the Hammersmith town centre and is responsible for delivering additional services and initiatives to the area for the benefit of local businesses. They are the main funders of the Roof Garden meaning the business community are directly providing a superb asset for everyone who works visits and lives in Hammersmith.

This garden is also the first project in London to have benefitted from leading retailer Marks & Spencer's 5p charge for carrier bags, introduced to encourage customers to reduce the amount of plastic bags they use. All proceeds from the charge are distributed to environmental projects.

The garden creates an outdoor room and features subtle lighting, secluded seating areas, raised planters, mature trees and a bespoke pergola canopy structure. A montage of images tracking the garden from early design scribbles on a coffee bar napkin through to construction and delivery will soon feature in the Marks & Spencer store on King Street.

The roof garden is on the first floor of the Lyric Hammersmith, overlooking Lyric Square. Groundwork's design supports and strengthens the theatre's artistic vision by being contemporary and architecturally exciting, complementing the Lyric's modern, eclectic artistic programme.

Materials used to create the garden are environmentally sustainable and the designers have ensured the choice of planting and trees will also encourage wildlife habitat creation. Local school children have been visiting the theatre along with staff from the M&S King Street Store to see the work's progress; they will be involved in the planting of shrubs and helping with the finishing touches to the garden.

Keen that members of the borough should feel a sense of ownership of their new resource, the Lyric Hammersmith will be appointing two ‘garden guardians' who live locally to tend the garden.

The Lyric's Executive Director, Jessica Hepburn says "It's been fantastic to work with HammersmithLondon and with Groundwork. The HammersmithLondon Roof Garden will provide a green and oxygen-giving space for everyone to enjoy."

Principal Landscape Architect for Groundwork London, Adam White (Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute) says "This has been a truly exciting and challenging project to work on. This project illustrates how quality design and community engagement are both key to creating a sustainable project".

HammersmithLondon Executive Director, Arun Sondhi adds "HammersmithLondon are proud to be the key funder of this wonderful Roof Garden. Creating this tranquil and green space in the heart of Hammersmith will benefit everyone whether they work here, live here or are visiting for the first time"

www.lyric.co.uk