Designing Luxury at Height: How Precision Decking Elevated Harrods’ Rooftop Vision

Creating a luxury rooftop environment on one of London’s most recognisable heritage buildings demands a careful balance of visual elegance, material integrity and technical performance. As demonstrated in this Harrods Helideck case study, the transformation of the former helideck into a high-end rooftop event space required a refined, timeless finish while meeting some of the most stringent safety and performance standards in the UK.

The result is a rooftop that feels calm, cohesive and unmistakably premium. Behind this apparent simplicity lies a highly considered design approach, supported by precision-engineered decking systems that allowed architectural ambition to be realised without compromise.

Respecting Heritage While Introducing Contemporary Design

Harrods is not just another London building. Its architectural language is instantly recognisable, and any new intervention must respect the heritage of the structure while offering something distinctly modern. The new rooftop space also needed to integrate seamlessly with a newly constructed internal pavilion, requiring consistent levels, smooth transitions and visual continuity between inside and out.

Kendall Kingscott Ltd led the architectural design, setting a clear direction for a space that would feel elegant rather than ostentatious. Materials were selected not to dominate the experience, but to frame it, allowing the panoramic views across London to take centre stage.

Decking played a crucial role in achieving this balance. As the primary surface underfoot, it needed to contribute warmth and texture without distracting from the wider architectural composition.

The Importance of Material Choice in High-End Spaces

Porcelain decking was selected for its ability to deliver visual sophistication alongside exceptional durability. Fire Deck’s Exadeck boards offered a wood-effect finish that provides the warmth traditionally associated with timber, while avoiding the long-term maintenance, weathering and performance issues that natural materials can introduce in exposed rooftop environments.

With 17 different patterns across the boards, the deck avoids repetition and achieves a natural variation that enhances realism. Subtle changes in grain and knot detailing create visual depth, helping the space feel inviting and refined rather than rigid or overly manufactured.

This level of detail is particularly important in luxury settings, where the eye naturally lingers on finishes and surfaces. The decking needed to look flawless not only on opening day, but throughout years of high-profile use.

Visual Precision as a Design Feature

One of the defining aesthetic decisions on the project was the use of a stacked bond layout. This arrangement creates long, uninterrupted lines that draw the eye across the space, reinforcing a sense of openness and calm. However, stacked bond layouts leave no room for error. Any deviation in board alignment would be immediately visible, especially in such an expansive, open setting.

This is where the technical quality of the materials became fundamental to the design outcome. Exadeck boards undergo a double-rectification process during manufacture, ensuring both the sides and underside planes of each board are perfectly straight. This precision prevents rocking, movement or irregular spacing, which can undermine visual consistency.

Equally important was the substructure supporting the deck. Wallbarn’s aluminium joist system provides exceptional flatness and tight tolerances, creating the perfect platform for achieving crisp, consistent lines across the entire surface. Together, these elements allowed the design team’s aesthetic vision to be realised with confidence.

Seamless Transitions Between Spaces

A key design challenge was managing the transition between interior and exterior spaces. The rooftop features varying floor heights of up to 400mm, as well as multiple access points and ramped areas that needed to feel natural and unobtrusive.

From a design perspective, these transitions had to be seamless. Changes in level could not feel abrupt or visually disruptive, and accessibility requirements needed to be met without introducing heavy-handed solutions that would detract from the elegance of the space.

Wallbarn’s I-Plus aluminium rail system, combined with MetalPad Ex pedestals, provided the flexibility required to achieve this. Precise height adjustment allowed the deck to align cleanly with internal floor levels, while ramped sections were carefully constructed to maintain both visual flow and structural integrity.

Because the system allows for bespoke configuration on site, design intent was preserved even as complex details were resolved during installation.

Concealed Fixings for a Clean Finish

In luxury environments, what you don’t see is often just as important as what you do. Exposed fixings, inconsistent gaps or visible mechanical elements can quickly undermine an otherwise refined space.

To maintain clean lines and an uninterrupted surface, the Exadeck boards were secured using the Class A W Clip fixing system. This concealed fixing method keeps fixings hidden from view while ensuring each board is held securely in place.

The result is a deck surface that feels calm, ordered and intentional, allowing the architectural form and surrounding views to take precedence.

Performance That Supports the Experience

While aesthetics drove many of the design decisions, performance remained essential. The rooftop space is designed to host events and accommodate significant foot traffic, meaning surfaces must be robust, stable and safe under constant use.

Exadeck’s superior scratch and stain resistance ensures the decking retains its appearance over time, even in a demanding, high-traffic environment. The system is also weather-resistant and silent during rainfall, an often-overlooked detail that significantly enhances the experience for guests using the space.

Crucially, all of this performance is delivered while maintaining full Class A fire compliance, ensuring the design meets modern safety expectations without visible compromise.

Luxury Delivered Through Detail

The completed rooftop event space demonstrates how thoughtful material selection and precision engineering can elevate architectural design. Every element, from board alignment to level transitions, has been executed with care, resulting in a space that feels effortless yet highly resolved.

For Wallbarn, the project highlights how a technically robust substructure can enable architectural creativity rather than constrain it. By providing systems that deliver accuracy, flexibility and compliance, designers are free to focus on creating spaces that are visually striking, comfortable to use and built to last.

In a setting as iconic as Harrods, success lies in the details. This rooftop transformation stands as a clear example of how innovative design, high-performance materials and expert collaboration can come together to create something truly exceptional.

shows how those details, when carefully considered and expertly delivered, can redefine what is possible at height.

To view the full case study, please click here.