Kings College Hospital Critical Care Unit Roof Garden

Overview

Carmelcrest were appointed by King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to deliver England’s first roof garden designed specifically to facilitate critical care. Positioned on the roof of the 6th floor Critical Care Unit (CCU), the project created a fully functioning outdoor intensive care environment directly above live critical care wards and operational plant rooms.

This pioneering scheme integrates nature and advanced medical provision within a seamless clinical setting. Developed to support both physical and psychological recovery, the garden responds to growing evidence that access to natural environments can reduce stress, lower blood pressure and improve mood. By extending critical care provision into an external therapeutic setting, the project supports improved patient outcomes and reduced length of stay, reinforcing the Trust’s philosophy of caring for the mind as well as the body.

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Scope of Works

The works were undertaken within a highly sensitive live hospital environment, directly above operational critical care wards and essential plant infrastructure. Maintaining structural integrity, waterproofing performance and uninterrupted clinical services was paramount throughout delivery.

Carmelcrest installed temporary waterproofing measures to enable the safe removal of the existing roof surfacing and insulation without risk to the occupied wards below. Perimeter edge shuttering was then formed to facilitate construction of a reinforced lightweight concrete slab over the existing roof structure. Given the sixth-floor location, the slab was formed by pumping concrete from ground level, requiring detailed logistical planning and vibration control to protect the live clinical environment beneath.

Following completion of the structural works, a new high-performance roof covering and insulation system were reinstated to ensure long-term durability and watertightness. The external therapeutic environment was then created through installation of a composite decking system, integrated GRP planters and fully functioning medical service cabinets to enable safe patient treatment outdoors. Architecturally distinctive Corten steel arches and canopies were installed to provide structural rhythm, shading and visual identity, contributing to both the clinical functionality and restorative quality of the space.

In addition to the above the project also included installation of M&E and public health services with associated builders’ works, as well as external seating and planting to create a roof garden space for building users. Ancillary works comprised replacement of external doors, construction of internal walls and doors, full internal redecoration, and fireproofing works to the west stair and lift core, ensuring full compliance with fire safety requirements.  

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