Open House London: Roots and Shoots’ new environmental education building opens

One of London’s newest and greenest buildings, the Natural Roots Building at Lambeth charity Roots and Shoots, is throwing open its doors for Open House London on the afternoon of Sunday 18 September. This is a rare chance to visit a beautiful inner city oasis.

Designed by Hudson Architects, the Natural Roots Building is a purpose built environmental education centre in a natural setting but with an urban feel, which uses natural materials throughout. The exterior is clad in cedar and the distinctive corten steel tower houses bat and nesting boxes. The interior is lined with birch faced ply and floored with oiled oak. It was built with support from the property industry charity LandAid and other funders including The Coca Cola London Eye Community Chest for 2015/16, The Ecological Building Society and The Royal Bank of Scotland. The total budget was £218,000.

Roots and Shoots has been providing vocational training in horticulture, floristry and retail, together with functional and life skills, to disadvantaged young people with additional needs since 1982. The new Natural Roots Building, which sits alongside the glorious award winning half acre wild garden, will open up the natural world to more children and young people. It’s also a valuable community resource and is available to environmental organisations for evening and weekend hire.

The Natural Roots Building shares the site in Walnut Tree Walk Kennington with Roots and Shoots’ training and administration eco building, designed by Paul Notley Architects, which was opened in 2006 by HRH The Prince of Wales.

“We have a beautiful building that is the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ for our charity,” said Linda Phillips, Director of Roots and Shoots. “It’s the green heart of Roots and Shoots and will allow us to teach our young people the green skills they need to make them more employable. It is also a wonderful resource for schoolchildren and the local community.”