Rooftop Renaissance in Soho's Creative Heart.
1-7 Livonia Street
1-7 Livonia Street
London, UK
An existing building, located on a quiet cul-de-sac off Berwick Street, in Soho.
1-7 Livonia Street transforms a heritage building through thoughtful retrofit, with rooftop gardens a key part of this innovative workspace project.
The design honours the site's Georgian origins and artistic legacy—once home to Francesco Bartolozzi, King George III's master engraver—by creating elevated garden spaces that celebrate both craft and nature. These carefully curated rooftop amenities enhance occupant wellbeing and biodiversity whilst drawing inspiration from Bartolozzi's distinctive red, orange, and brown ink palette in their planting schemes.
Bartolozzi was a leading exponent of the 'stipple' method of engraving
The landscape scheme takes inspiration not just from the colour palettes that Bartolozzi was fond of, but also from his preferred method of engraving.
In this instance, many of the flowering plant species have been selected for their aesthetic qualities, with varying petal sizes and forms, often resembling densities of stipple.
Bartolozzi was a leading exponent of the 'stipple' method of engraving
The landscape scheme takes inspiration not just from the colour palettes that Bartolozzi was fond of, but also from his preferred method of engraving.
In this instance, many of the flowering plant species have been selected for their aesthetic qualities, with varying petal sizes and forms, often resembling densities of stipple.
Our approach retains and renews the existing building to deliver flexible, future-ready office space, whilst the terraced gardens become a defining feature that connects to the street's artisanal heritage.
Natural materials and thoughtful landscape interventions create a unique working environment that balances Soho's creative energy with moments of tranquil retreat above the bustling streets below.
This exemplar low-carbon retrofit demonstrates how heritage buildings can be sensitively transformed, with rooftop gardens serving as both a practical amenity and a celebration of the area's rich cultural history.
Client: Sterling Real Estate with SG Rocks
Year: 2025-Present
Location: London, UK
Collaborators
Page Architects
Heyne Tillett Steel
IN2 Engineering
Quantem
Cook Brown
Spring Planning
