Shed of the year 2024, Sponsored by 
Sustainably ecological shed handcrafted with love, with wooly wildflower green roof, recycled yogurt carton plastic cladding, Corten steel and western red cedar to house our pretty bikes.
eco bike høøse Our new eco bike høøse replaced our clapped out B&Q shed: given that we have 11 bikes between my wife and I, we realised it had to be a decent size! Our house in Camden overlooks the garden and to avoid an unsightly shed roof, we wanted something to be attractive year round. From this the idea of a green roof materialised, which defined the sustainable approach for the project, using natural light, recycled plastic sheeting, Corten steel and western red cedar throughout. The roof is constructed with a natural EDPM rubber coating over ply sheeting, with edges retained with Corten steel to create a rich, earthy looking, oxidized rust finish which requires no painting or maintenance as the finish is self-protecting. The green roof utilises a water-cell reservoir to control run-off and retain moisture for the plants. My wife and I gathered the growing medium material from a local aggregate recycling yard, utilizing a mix of post-construction crushed brick / gravel and screened topsoil, with 100L of extremely aromatic green food waste provided by Islington Council. We needed 0.75 ton, and as it was £20 per ton it was a bit of a bargain! The roof planting is a natural hessian matt, pre- planted with a mix of sedum, wildflower and spring bulbs to provide year round cover. Water filters through to a home-made corten water butt, with a capacity of up to 280L+. A tap allows the water to be re-used to irrigate the garden with a watering can and any overflow is re-used to irrigate the garden. To create a feature of the front we used a brightly coloured impressionist style recycled plastic sheet, which is made from waste plastic yoghurt cartons. Large windows, roof lights and a glazed pivoting timber frame door provide an abundance of natural light. The windows and door are framed with Western Red Cedar, which similar to corten steel, requires no painting or varnishing. Another element helping to add depth and rhythm to the facade is the brise soleil timber screen used across the front also helping to reduce direct sunlight and to screen the contents. The frame is constructed of mainly recycled and FSC approved timber & exterior plywood sheeting from our local builders merchant. The outside of the plywood is sealed with water based yacht varnish to ensure longevity. All lights were also changed to low energy LED fittings Thankfully all 11 bikes, a collection of power tools and a whole lot more fit snugly inside.
