Room at the Top

For most of us and in most senses, up there is fine and down there…hell, let’s not go there! So it’s no wonder that some of the most coveted outdoor spaces in any metropolis are atop the house, block or skyscraper and these days, because we can, we’ll have it both ways  - head in the clouds, feet firmly on the ground. The Walkie Talkie Sky Garden, just opened in London, sets out to achieve this heady and technically awesome combination:

But initial reaction has not been hugely positive, 'more grey space than green', 'like being in an airport terminal', and perhaps inevitably, given the premium on such rarefied space..'it's not a real public garden - instead a private space you have to book to visit three days in advance.' Maybe that's not such a long wait to check it out for ourselves and, in the meantime, you might think of taking a more formal walk in New York:

Or perhaps a swim in Singapore:

Or just taking it easy at home in the sky:

Images sourced from pinterest, flickr and trendydesigndecor.com