8 ms·

London's Free Roof Terraces

332 points by zeristor 4mo ago

d1sxeyes 4mo ago
I try to pop to One New Change whenever I’m in London just to visit the terrace there. If you’re in the area, worth a look!
- cjrp 4mo ago
  Can you go up without going to the restaurant?
  - d1sxeyes 4mo ago
    As of ~3 years ago (and according to this: https://www.onenewchange.com/en/roof-terrace#:~:text=Open%20to%20all%20and%20absolutely%20free%20to%20enter https://www.onenewchange.com/en/roof-terrace#:~:text=Open%20... ) I think so yeah, but the restaurant/bar try really hard to make it look like you're not supposed to be there without actually telling you that you're not allowed to be there.
rented_mule 4mo ago
The equivalent in San Francisco: https://sfpopos.com/ https://sfpopos.com/
- rahimnathwani 4mo ago
  Interesting! That site has photos of ~40 locations, about half of those listed on the government-maintained list (which lacks photos): https://data.sfgov.org/Culture-and-Recreation/Privately-Owned-Public-Open-Spaces/65ik-7wqd/about_data https://data.sfgov.org/Culture-and-Recreation/Privately-Owne... If you want to find the one that's nearest to you, you can look here (no photos): https://tools.encona.com/sfpopos https://tools.encona.com/sfpopos
- schlauerfox 4mo ago
  There's a Los Angeles one also, https://planning.lacity.gov/preservation-design/privately-owned-public-spaces-pops https://planning.lacity.gov/preservation-design/privately-ow... but the linked arcgis map doesn't work for me? https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/225e307c3ad34e588fa75362462688a5 https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/225e307c3ad34e588fa7536...
mgaunard 4mo ago
What about Crossrail Place in Canary Wharf, doesn't count? Otherwise there are plenty of other roof terraces which are bars/restaurants. Typically more enjoyable as you don't have to book tickets and you get to enjoy a drink.
- fontain 4mo ago
  I think some people might not count Canary Wharf's various gardens as examples of this because while Canary Wharf is a private estate that is open to the public, the parks and green spaces aren't a quiet strategy to get buildings approved, they're part of the estate's broad strategy to be green and welcoming. Canary Wharf actively encourages visitors to all of their green spaces.
- joshvm 4mo ago
  When I was younger, I used to think the Shard was daylight robbery. But 16 quid for a signature cocktail and a view (or 12 for a spirit + mixer) is no longer outrageously expensive in London and you'd pay that to go up a skyscraper in many countries anyway. Both Rockefeller and the Empire State are $40+, though you can go outside. Even Aqua Shard, which is apparently in the Michelin guide, "only" charges about 20. Which is bordering on outrageous, but the view is great.
  - mgaunard 4mo ago
    Waltz is 19 quid, but it's arguably the best cocktail in London. The Connaught is up to 40, but more of a fancy establishment.
  - vidarh 4mo ago
    Agree it's worth going up there. Though while the bar is reasonable, Aqua Shard is overpriced if you're going their to eat (the food is good, but you can get better food for the same/similar price elsewhere, including at Hutong, one floor up). But if you're going to a bar in the Shard, Gong (52nd floor), Ting (35th) and Hutong (32nd) are all higher up. Gong and Ting also has the advantage that you don't have to pass through that ridiculous security scanner (entrance is via the Shangri La hotel)
cbdevidal 4mo ago
Really cool!!
dgellow 4mo ago
> Tate Modern had high hopes for the 10th floor of the Blatnavik Building with its cafe and a four-sided observation terrace with excellent views of the Thames. Alas it also had great views into the apartments at Neo Bankside whose residents ultimately sued and won, thus if you arrive by lift today you can only visit the cafe. I was curious about what type of arguments you could make to win a case like this. "The Supreme Court commented that the degree of overlooking from visitors to the Tate gallery was so extreme it subjected the residents to being “much like being on display in a zoo” and held that there is no reason why constant visual intrusion cannot give rise to liability for nuisance." https://www.tlt.com/insights-and-events/insight/supreme-court-judgment-spoils-the-view-from-the-tate-modern-museum https://www.tlt.com/insights-and-events/insight/supreme-cour... Really strange take, that applies to so many situations where tourists gather
- RobotToaster 4mo ago
  It affected rich people, wouldn't surprise me if one of them knew the judge.
  - l23k4 4mo ago
    This was a decision made by five supreme court justices in a 3/2 split, do you have any particular reason to believe there has been corruption involved in this UK litigation?
  - fontain 4mo ago
    The case was a very big deal in London. The outcome was not one of bias, but complicated circumstance. The apartment building was built years before the Tate Modern opened their viewing floor. After the Tate Modern viewing floor opened, visitors to the Tate Modern began photographing and videoing and watching people in the neighbouring apartment building. The judge reasonably determined that there is some sacrifice of privacy made when choosing to live in a glass apartment building, but the Tate Modern's viewing floor's compromise of privacy was so egregious that it should not be allowed regardless of planning permission. There are many buildings all over London that look over one another, many of those occupied by very very rich people, it was not corruption.
lorenzotenti 4mo ago
I built https://exploralista.io https://exploralista.io exactly for this use case. Still waiting for the universe to make up for my lack of marketing skills.
- croisillon 4mo ago
  it's a nice idea! but yes there is very sparse information and instead of examples i get "NetworkError when attempting to fetch resource." and it says "free" here and there but free forever, free until?
  - lorenzotenti 4mo ago
    Ah, sorry about the error! I guess it could use some optimisation. It will remain free for the users. I haven't thought about monetisation but for sure it won't be on the final user. Either ads or sponsored places by companies etc. Similar to TripAdvisor
  - lorenzotenti 4mo ago
    The error is now fixed. It would be great if you could try it again! I'd love feedback on this project.
    - croisillon 4mo ago
      now the full page is only loading infinitely ; don't sweat it if you're on holiday, i'll be happy to review it another time oh i found direct access to other pages, like https://exploralista.io/lists/london-best-omakase https://exploralista.io/lists/london-best-omakase and https://exploralista.io/lists/best-specialty-coffee-london https://exploralista.io/lists/best-specialty-coffee-london i still like it but the design is a bit too basic unfortunately, it looks like a blog ; i think you could offer a few more views like a datatable and a airbnb-like one screen view
- simonhfrost 4mo ago
  First CTA is to signup. For what? 'From the Community' section reports 'Failed to fetch'
flotzam 4mo ago
> more likely to get planning permission if their new skyscraper included a free public roof terrace If that's the deal, it's crazy that some of those places are getting away with then discouraging the public from actually going there. Book your visit in advance! Present ID! Photography forbidden! This grumpy security guard will be hovering nearby <3 It's like Nathan For You S03E01 where a store advertises a $1 TV, then tells the drawn in would-be customers to please respect the black tie dress code, crawl through a tiny door, and squeeze past the alligator.
- gib444 4mo ago
  This is the country where organised marches must have police approval and follow an approved route (and most acute in London). Hardly a surprise! London's vibe is: 'privately owned, and you're lucky to be here' Edit: I'm British btw (and currently sat in a pub in London) in case people downvote me thinking I'm a yank lol. There are many people who dislike London and the UK who aren't yanks
  - baxtr 4mo ago
    Even within London people dislike each other! Saw many non-Arsenal fans cheering for PSG yesterday.
  - deaux 4mo ago
    Its not as if things are any better in the country that boasts the most about its freedoms regarding access to supposedly public spaces: https://www.instagram.com/780_lord_of_bench https://www.instagram.com/780_lord_of_bench
  - fontain 4mo ago
    How many protestors did the U.K. police kill in the last few years, compared to, say, a very free country… like the U.S? edit: responding to your edit, of course many British people hate London and for many valid reasons, but your reasoning is very American. Very few British people share that American view of freedom and would describe London as “privately owned”.
rbbydotdev 4mo ago
> Alas it also had great views into the apartments at Neo Bankside whose residents ultimately sued and won, thus if you arrive by lift today you can only visit the cafe bummer
softgrow 4mo ago
There is a similar trap in walking the Thames path through London. Some is privately owned and you are made to not feel welcome, odd rules, buttons to press etc. Guardian has a 2015 piece https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/feb/24/private-london-exposed-thames-path-riverside-walking-route https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/feb/24/private-londo...
- mr_toad 4mo ago
  > you are made to not feel welcome, odd rules, buttons to press etc Or closed for years at a time due to construction.
- caminante 4mo ago
  LOL! >City Hall sits entirely on a private estate owned by a Kuwaiti investment company. Protesters are not allowed to gather without corporate permission.
  - rafram 4mo ago
    This hasn’t been the case since 2022: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Hall,_London_(Newham) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Hall,_London_(Newham)
    - caminante 4mo ago
      "This" ? Which this? They apparently moved the location, but protesting at the new location is still heavily restricted [0] with a dystopian narrative. > In order to achieve the balance between the rights of those holding a rally and the rights and freedoms of others to go about their business we have put together this guidance and simple application process. [0] https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/city-halls-buildings-and-squares/city-hall-security/application-holding-rally-outside-city-hall https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/city-halls-buildings-an...
      - rafram 4mo ago
        Every single thing in the text you (inaccurately) quoted. City Hall is no longer on a private estate, no Kuwaiti investment company is involved, and the application process involves no "corporate permission" - you submit a form to the city government, and it sounds like the point is to make sure each rally is allocated a separate area, and they don't deny permission outright.
indianrestrooms 4mo ago
[flagged]
- Lio 4mo ago
  You do know that London has a relatively low homicide rate don't you? Knife crime is generally an order of magnatude lower than many US cities I'd also be happy to visit. It's higher than the rest of the UK but then it is a big city. (I live in a very rural and crime free part of the UK but love visiting London). https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/the-image-of-lawless-london-polarises-society-yet-the-facts-suggest-it-doesnt-exist https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/the-image-of-la...
  - l23k4 4mo ago
    There's also essentially zero overlap between the people who complain about knife crime, and the people who encounter knife crime in London.
Havoc 4mo ago
Been to most of these. They're nice. If you've got friends/fam with you it is definitely worth paying for the observation deck at the shard.
bookofjoe 4mo ago
Reading these comments, "The Tragedy of the Commons" [https://pages.mtu.edu/~asmayer/rural_sustain/governance/Hardin%201968.pdf https://pages.mtu.edu/~asmayer/rural_sustain/governance/Hard...] comes to mind: those who frequent London's many little known free roof terraces know that mentioning them here instantly blows their cover.
galleywest200 4mo ago
This is so odd to learn about, thank you. I live in Washington State, USA, and almost all of our beaches are public access. We have a bunch of "public terraces" in Seattle and other cities. hopefully London can move beyond this idea of privatizing access to water features of viewing platforms.
neilv 4mo ago
Kendall Square, Cambridge, USA (MIT neighborhood) has something like this, but it's not good. The space was originally a beloved "public roof garden" which I believe was done as a real estate developer concession to the city. The landscaping itself was whatever, but it was a nice escape from the industrial university campus neighborhood. Get away from your university or industry lab, at any time of day or night, and go up above the commotion, to more sunlight or a view of the stars, with a friend. Then Google wanted to expand their office space. IIUC, there was a very strange city committee approval, without a quorum, by a single person, who stepped down afterwards. Much of the public roof garden space was taken. And what remains was remodeled into a nano-Googleplex style grounds party deck, outside their windows. And surveillance cameras, and security guards who often make their presence known. But it's still technically open to the public. (Challenge: From Broadway, try to spot the signage for it, in a great moment of visual design low-contrast white-on-light-pink signage, amidst larger bold high-contrast color decorations. Even if I tell you it's in a recessed corner beside a parking garage, and you have the benefit of StreetView rather than walking along the sidewalk, and I even tell you what color to look for, you'll have trouble. Under normal conditions, you'd have no idea the public access concession was even there, which presumably was the task given to the designer who must hate that this is what their career has come to.) And when it's not locked, you can go up there, and get a lookout view of some of the city, while being under the evil eye yourself, and constantly feel like you should leave, which you soon do.
- thazework 4mo ago
  in fairness there's a big green sign, but yeah, enraging. https://maps.app.goo.gl/f2QdWzgY35ci827P8 https://maps.app.goo.gl/f2QdWzgY35ci827P8
  - neilv 4mo ago
    Good catch. I've walked past that many times, including when actively looking for the entrance, and never saw that sign. Maybe because it's about 4 stories up, almost straight up from the sidewalk, and at a bit of an angle if you're not coming from the bridge, and above something that says it's just advertising the parking garage to cars. Oh, and looks like blocked from sidewalk by trees, if you're coming from the neighborhood rather than the bridge. So maybe visible to passing cars, but not to the generally car-free people in the neighborhood. (The first couple times of actively looking for the entrance, I walked past it, before doubling back, and finding the white-on-light-pink signage at street level.)
rjjejriridd 4mo ago
[dead]
rendaw 4mo ago
I think Japan has something similar, does anyone else know? A lot of big buildings have free/open roof terraces. Most are fairly claustrophobic. The Ikebukuro Seibu building had an amazing, open roof garden with this big reflecting pool round table: https://danzuka.earth/019_seibu-ikebukuro-roof-garden/ https://danzuka.earth/019_seibu-ikebukuro-roof-garden/ . It was pretty quiet, and it was especially great because there are basically no public tables in Ikebukuro, so you could buy food at the shops below and eat it on the roof (plus it had toilets, trash cans, and drink vending machines!) They just demolished it and replaced 70% of the space with a big BBQ restaurant though. So I feel like either whatever legal requirement they had to create the space must have expired, or maybe it was used as part of the initial pitch when they were getting permits for the building and now that it's established they can walk back guarantees or whatever...
dsign 4mo ago
I've been in some of these in a different capital city. It's worth it, the visits have informed be what kind of person I'm. It's a subtle feeling of waste, seeing the people queue to the elevator, and then going all the way up to see some bushes growing in misery but enough concrete and rooftops to, well, keep you assured you are in a city. Many of my friends enjoy those places. I just find it way nicer to go for a long stroll in the woods.

332 points by zeristor 4mo ago

I try to pop to One New Change whenever I’m in London just to visit the terrace there. If you’re in the area, worth a look!

cjrp 4mo ago
Can you go up without going to the restaurant?
- d1sxeyes 4mo ago
  As of ~3 years ago (and according to this: https://www.onenewchange.com/en/roof-terrace#:~:text=Open%20to%20all%20and%20absolutely%20free%20to%20enter https://www.onenewchange.com/en/roof-terrace#:~:text=Open%20... ) I think so yeah, but the restaurant/bar try really hard to make it look like you're not supposed to be there without actually telling you that you're not allowed to be there.

rented_mule 4mo ago

The equivalent in San Francisco: https://sfpopos.com/ https://sfpopos.com/

rahimnathwani 4mo ago
Interesting! That site has photos of ~40 locations, about half of those listed on the government-maintained list (which lacks photos): https://data.sfgov.org/Culture-and-Recreation/Privately-Owned-Public-Open-Spaces/65ik-7wqd/about_data https://data.sfgov.org/Culture-and-Recreation/Privately-Owne... If you want to find the one that's nearest to you, you can look here (no photos): https://tools.encona.com/sfpopos https://tools.encona.com/sfpopos
schlauerfox 4mo ago
There's a Los Angeles one also, https://planning.lacity.gov/preservation-design/privately-owned-public-spaces-pops https://planning.lacity.gov/preservation-design/privately-ow... but the linked arcgis map doesn't work for me? https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/225e307c3ad34e588fa75362462688a5 https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/225e307c3ad34e588fa7536...

mgaunard 4mo ago

What about Crossrail Place in Canary Wharf, doesn't count? Otherwise there are plenty of other roof terraces which are bars/restaurants. Typically more enjoyable as you don't have to book tickets and you get to enjoy a drink.

fontain 4mo ago
I think some people might not count Canary Wharf's various gardens as examples of this because while Canary Wharf is a private estate that is open to the public, the parks and green spaces aren't a quiet strategy to get buildings approved, they're part of the estate's broad strategy to be green and welcoming. Canary Wharf actively encourages visitors to all of their green spaces.
joshvm 4mo ago
When I was younger, I used to think the Shard was daylight robbery. But 16 quid for a signature cocktail and a view (or 12 for a spirit + mixer) is no longer outrageously expensive in London and you'd pay that to go up a skyscraper in many countries anyway. Both Rockefeller and the Empire State are $40+, though you can go outside. Even Aqua Shard, which is apparently in the Michelin guide, "only" charges about 20. Which is bordering on outrageous, but the view is great.
- mgaunard 4mo ago
  Waltz is 19 quid, but it's arguably the best cocktail in London. The Connaught is up to 40, but more of a fancy establishment.
- vidarh 4mo ago
  Agree it's worth going up there. Though while the bar is reasonable, Aqua Shard is overpriced if you're going their to eat (the food is good, but you can get better food for the same/similar price elsewhere, including at Hutong, one floor up). But if you're going to a bar in the Shard, Gong (52nd floor), Ting (35th) and Hutong (32nd) are all higher up. Gong and Ting also has the advantage that you don't have to pass through that ridiculous security scanner (entrance is via the Shangri La hotel)

cbdevidal 4mo ago

Really cool!!

dgellow 4mo ago

> Tate Modern had high hopes for the 10th floor of the Blatnavik Building with its cafe and a four-sided observation terrace with excellent views of the Thames. Alas it also had great views into the apartments at Neo Bankside whose residents ultimately sued and won, thus if you arrive by lift today you can only visit the cafe. I was curious about what type of arguments you could make to win a case like this. "The Supreme Court commented that the degree of overlooking from visitors to the Tate gallery was so extreme it subjected the residents to being “much like being on display in a zoo” and held that there is no reason why constant visual intrusion cannot give rise to liability for nuisance." https://www.tlt.com/insights-and-events/insight/supreme-court-judgment-spoils-the-view-from-the-tate-modern-museum https://www.tlt.com/insights-and-events/insight/supreme-cour... Really strange take, that applies to so many situations where tourists gather

RobotToaster 4mo ago
It affected rich people, wouldn't surprise me if one of them knew the judge.
- l23k4 4mo ago
  This was a decision made by five supreme court justices in a 3/2 split, do you have any particular reason to believe there has been corruption involved in this UK litigation?
- fontain 4mo ago
  The case was a very big deal in London. The outcome was not one of bias, but complicated circumstance. The apartment building was built years before the Tate Modern opened their viewing floor. After the Tate Modern viewing floor opened, visitors to the Tate Modern began photographing and videoing and watching people in the neighbouring apartment building. The judge reasonably determined that there is some sacrifice of privacy made when choosing to live in a glass apartment building, but the Tate Modern's viewing floor's compromise of privacy was so egregious that it should not be allowed regardless of planning permission. There are many buildings all over London that look over one another, many of those occupied by very very rich people, it was not corruption.

lorenzotenti 4mo ago

I built https://exploralista.io https://exploralista.io exactly for this use case. Still waiting for the universe to make up for my lack of marketing skills.

croisillon 4mo ago
it's a nice idea! but yes there is very sparse information and instead of examples i get "NetworkError when attempting to fetch resource." and it says "free" here and there but free forever, free until?
- lorenzotenti 4mo ago
  Ah, sorry about the error! I guess it could use some optimisation. It will remain free for the users. I haven't thought about monetisation but for sure it won't be on the final user. Either ads or sponsored places by companies etc. Similar to TripAdvisor
- lorenzotenti 4mo ago
  The error is now fixed. It would be great if you could try it again! I'd love feedback on this project.
  - croisillon 4mo ago
    now the full page is only loading infinitely ; don't sweat it if you're on holiday, i'll be happy to review it another time oh i found direct access to other pages, like https://exploralista.io/lists/london-best-omakase https://exploralista.io/lists/london-best-omakase and https://exploralista.io/lists/best-specialty-coffee-london https://exploralista.io/lists/best-specialty-coffee-london i still like it but the design is a bit too basic unfortunately, it looks like a blog ; i think you could offer a few more views like a datatable and a airbnb-like one screen view
simonhfrost 4mo ago
First CTA is to signup. For what? 'From the Community' section reports 'Failed to fetch'

flotzam 4mo ago

> more likely to get planning permission if their new skyscraper included a free public roof terrace If that's the deal, it's crazy that some of those places are getting away with then discouraging the public from actually going there. Book your visit in advance! Present ID! Photography forbidden! This grumpy security guard will be hovering nearby <3 It's like Nathan For You S03E01 where a store advertises a $1 TV, then tells the drawn in would-be customers to please respect the black tie dress code, crawl through a tiny door, and squeeze past the alligator.

gib444 4mo ago
This is the country where organised marches must have police approval and follow an approved route (and most acute in London). Hardly a surprise! London's vibe is: 'privately owned, and you're lucky to be here' Edit: I'm British btw (and currently sat in a pub in London) in case people downvote me thinking I'm a yank lol. There are many people who dislike London and the UK who aren't yanks
- baxtr 4mo ago
  Even within London people dislike each other! Saw many non-Arsenal fans cheering for PSG yesterday.
- deaux 4mo ago
  Its not as if things are any better in the country that boasts the most about its freedoms regarding access to supposedly public spaces: https://www.instagram.com/780_lord_of_bench https://www.instagram.com/780_lord_of_bench
- fontain 4mo ago
  How many protestors did the U.K. police kill in the last few years, compared to, say, a very free country… like the U.S? edit: responding to your edit, of course many British people hate London and for many valid reasons, but your reasoning is very American. Very few British people share that American view of freedom and would describe London as “privately owned”.

rbbydotdev 4mo ago

> Alas it also had great views into the apartments at Neo Bankside whose residents ultimately sued and won, thus if you arrive by lift today you can only visit the cafe bummer

softgrow 4mo ago

There is a similar trap in walking the Thames path through London. Some is privately owned and you are made to not feel welcome, odd rules, buttons to press etc. Guardian has a 2015 piece https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/feb/24/private-london-exposed-thames-path-riverside-walking-route https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/feb/24/private-londo...

mr_toad 4mo ago
> you are made to not feel welcome, odd rules, buttons to press etc Or closed for years at a time due to construction.
caminante 4mo ago
LOL! >City Hall sits entirely on a private estate owned by a Kuwaiti investment company. Protesters are not allowed to gather without corporate permission.
- rafram 4mo ago
  This hasn’t been the case since 2022: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Hall,_London_(Newham) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Hall,_London_(Newham)
  - caminante 4mo ago
    "This" ? Which this? They apparently moved the location, but protesting at the new location is still heavily restricted [0] with a dystopian narrative. > In order to achieve the balance between the rights of those holding a rally and the rights and freedoms of others to go about their business we have put together this guidance and simple application process. [0] https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/city-halls-buildings-and-squares/city-hall-security/application-holding-rally-outside-city-hall https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/city-halls-buildings-an...
    - rafram 4mo ago
      Every single thing in the text you (inaccurately) quoted. City Hall is no longer on a private estate, no Kuwaiti investment company is involved, and the application process involves no "corporate permission" - you submit a form to the city government, and it sounds like the point is to make sure each rally is allocated a separate area, and they don't deny permission outright.

indianrestrooms 4mo ago

[flagged]

Lio 4mo ago
You do know that London has a relatively low homicide rate don't you? Knife crime is generally an order of magnatude lower than many US cities I'd also be happy to visit. It's higher than the rest of the UK but then it is a big city. (I live in a very rural and crime free part of the UK but love visiting London). https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/the-image-of-lawless-london-polarises-society-yet-the-facts-suggest-it-doesnt-exist https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/the-image-of-la...
- l23k4 4mo ago
  There's also essentially zero overlap between the people who complain about knife crime, and the people who encounter knife crime in London.

Havoc 4mo ago

Been to most of these. They're nice. If you've got friends/fam with you it is definitely worth paying for the observation deck at the shard.

bookofjoe 4mo ago

Reading these comments, "The Tragedy of the Commons" [https://pages.mtu.edu/~asmayer/rural_sustain/governance/Hardin%201968.pdf https://pages.mtu.edu/~asmayer/rural_sustain/governance/Hard...] comes to mind: those who frequent London's many little known free roof terraces know that mentioning them here instantly blows their cover.

galleywest200 4mo ago

This is so odd to learn about, thank you. I live in Washington State, USA, and almost all of our beaches are public access. We have a bunch of "public terraces" in Seattle and other cities. hopefully London can move beyond this idea of privatizing access to water features of viewing platforms.

neilv 4mo ago

Kendall Square, Cambridge, USA (MIT neighborhood) has something like this, but it's not good. The space was originally a beloved "public roof garden" which I believe was done as a real estate developer concession to the city. The landscaping itself was whatever, but it was a nice escape from the industrial university campus neighborhood. Get away from your university or industry lab, at any time of day or night, and go up above the commotion, to more sunlight or a view of the stars, with a friend. Then Google wanted to expand their office space. IIUC, there was a very strange city committee approval, without a quorum, by a single person, who stepped down afterwards. Much of the public roof garden space was taken. And what remains was remodeled into a nano-Googleplex style grounds party deck, outside their windows. And surveillance cameras, and security guards who often make their presence known. But it's still technically open to the public. (Challenge: From Broadway, try to spot the signage for it, in a great moment of visual design low-contrast white-on-light-pink signage, amidst larger bold high-contrast color decorations. Even if I tell you it's in a recessed corner beside a parking garage, and you have the benefit of StreetView rather than walking along the sidewalk, and I even tell you what color to look for, you'll have trouble. Under normal conditions, you'd have no idea the public access concession was even there, which presumably was the task given to the designer who must hate that this is what their career has come to.) And when it's not locked, you can go up there, and get a lookout view of some of the city, while being under the evil eye yourself, and constantly feel like you should leave, which you soon do.

thazework 4mo ago
in fairness there's a big green sign, but yeah, enraging. https://maps.app.goo.gl/f2QdWzgY35ci827P8 https://maps.app.goo.gl/f2QdWzgY35ci827P8
- neilv 4mo ago
  Good catch. I've walked past that many times, including when actively looking for the entrance, and never saw that sign. Maybe because it's about 4 stories up, almost straight up from the sidewalk, and at a bit of an angle if you're not coming from the bridge, and above something that says it's just advertising the parking garage to cars. Oh, and looks like blocked from sidewalk by trees, if you're coming from the neighborhood rather than the bridge. So maybe visible to passing cars, but not to the generally car-free people in the neighborhood. (The first couple times of actively looking for the entrance, I walked past it, before doubling back, and finding the white-on-light-pink signage at street level.)

rjjejriridd 4mo ago

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rendaw 4mo ago

I think Japan has something similar, does anyone else know? A lot of big buildings have free/open roof terraces. Most are fairly claustrophobic. The Ikebukuro Seibu building had an amazing, open roof garden with this big reflecting pool round table: https://danzuka.earth/019_seibu-ikebukuro-roof-garden/ https://danzuka.earth/019_seibu-ikebukuro-roof-garden/ . It was pretty quiet, and it was especially great because there are basically no public tables in Ikebukuro, so you could buy food at the shops below and eat it on the roof (plus it had toilets, trash cans, and drink vending machines!) They just demolished it and replaced 70% of the space with a big BBQ restaurant though. So I feel like either whatever legal requirement they had to create the space must have expired, or maybe it was used as part of the initial pitch when they were getting permits for the building and now that it's established they can walk back guarantees or whatever...

dsign 4mo ago

I've been in some of these in a different capital city. It's worth it, the visits have informed be what kind of person I'm. It's a subtle feeling of waste, seeing the people queue to the elevator, and then going all the way up to see some bushes growing in misery but enough concrete and rooftops to, well, keep you assured you are in a city. Many of my friends enjoy those places. I just find it way nicer to go for a long stroll in the woods.