Number 9: The rooftops become green!

Continuing with our Top 10 things that have got us most excited in 2012 - in 9th place is....

Green goodness of rooftop gardens! As space becomes more of a premium, there has been a massive upwards rise in the number of rooftop gardens and terraces opening in 2012. This green trend is not only helping to bring back nature to our cities but at the same time, creating amazing, breath-taking hang-outs all across the world.

Our favourite example of this in 2012 was the partnership between the Southbank Centre and the Eden Project.  The rooftop garden at the Queen Elizabeth Hall was built from scratch by the Grounded gardening team from Providence Row Housing Association (PRHA) working together with colleagues from Eden.

Photo care of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mctumshie/5743995476/

The gardens actually opened in 2011 but it was such a successful venture that they were reopened in April 2012 with a real lawn, vegetable planters and wildflower meadows. With a relaxed and cheerful vibe this was the perfect place to hang out, explore the planting and enjoy a pint or two from the ‘Roof Garden Café’, run by Company of Cooks.

The space attracted all sorts! From drop-in gardeners, passers-by looking for a quiet spot to relax or Londoners wanting the perfect venue for summer’s evening drink. The garden is planned to reopen April / May 2013.

Read more about the QEH rooftop garden.

Photo care of: http://davisla.wordpress.com

There are a number of environmental benefits that weigh in favor of this rooftop garden trend, such as the improvement of water management, absorption of particulates, improved air quality and providing a habitat for plants and animals.

In fact, Chicago City Hall rooftop garden was designed to test the cooling effects of this kind of landscaping design, as well as being an experiment in how rooftop gardens can support plants, birds and insects in a city.

And of course, no-one could do a blog on outdoor spaces and not include the High Line bridge in NY. Although completed in 2011, this is just another wildly exciting example of green space forcing its way back in to our cities.

We expect to see more roof gardens and terraces opening in 2013, specifically more vegetable rooftop gardens as people decide to put these outdoor rooms to good use. We hope to see you there and share a beer or two!

Be inspired by the 50 best rooftop bars and restaurants.

Read more about the rooftop trends.

Sushi is the new fast food

In an NHS study published this year 90% of men and 92% of women said that 'healthy eating isn't just another fad' but government predictions have suggested there will be a rise in levels of obesity in the future, such that by 2025 almost half of men and over a third of women in the UK are predicted to be obese.

There was a time, not long ago, when all you could buy to eat 'on the go' was a cheese burger or a stodgy sandwich but now there's a gradual shift towards more healthy fast food. Wasabi in Waterloo station has just opened with a fresh, bright design, made memorable with it's splashes of lime green and a beautifully designed staircase which takes up almost half of the tiny unit.



Further out of town, and just down the road from our offices, is Sushi_n at Wimbledon station. A more natural, cosy interior using timber but with the same selection of single wrapped sushi parcels and a hot counter selling bento. Something both places could have thought about though is using sustainable, natural packaging, like bamboo boxes to take the food back to it's Japanese roots.

Sushi also embraces the 'miniturisation' trend of bite sized nutrition, so chances are it will become more and more popular in the future and pave the way for new mini foods. I'm sure our fast pace lifestyles won't change but hopefully with more healthy fast food options out there we can try and prove those Government stats wrong!

By Emily