Chetwoods developed an initial design from NHA for the provision of a new production warehouse for London’s Royal Opera House. The project was an opportunity to create for the first time a bespoke design for the ROH artists and craftsman involved in the production of scenery. Rather than providing a basic industrial shed, the client’s aspirations were for a building of architectural merit with excellent environmental credentials. The building was to provide a strong presence and focus at the heart of a new production campus while reflecting the nature of the work within. The form of the building evolved to fulfil a functional requirement for a taller space in the central fit-up and vertical paint frame areas with less height at the perimeter of the workshops. The roof design was developed as a shallow curve over the whole building using a lightweight but complex triangulated truss system. This form together with sustainability objectives, some of which are listed below, were the key design drivers of the project. • A sedum ‘green’ roofing system • Rainwater re-cycling • Ground source heat system for heating and cooling • Maximising the use of natural daylight • Careful selection of materials including a timber-clad façade sourced from renewables