Egyptian & Dudley House

The refurbishment of Egyptian and Dudley House involved a pair of Grade II listed commercial buildings originally constructed in 1905–1906. RYNO was required to deliver a fully integrated roof terrace solution combining aluminium decking and bespoke planters, all supported from a single, coordinated substructure. 

Introduced to the project through long-standing partner Valley Provincial, RYNO worked closely with the team to deliver all components as part of a single warrantied system that maintained design intent while simplifying construction on a constrained and sensitive heritage site. 

The Challenge 

The roof terrace formed a commercial office breakout space, designed to bring usable external amenity into a compact footprint atop a listed building refurbishment. 

The original specification separated the decking and planter systems with multiple suppliers, interfaces, and structural assumptions, all required to sit on the same roof build-up. This presented several challenges: 

• Mixed warranties 

• Extremely limited height build-ups, typical of refurbishment projects 

• Requirement to avoid waterproofing penetrations 

• Complex load paths due to heavy planters  

• Large, central tree planters alongside smaller perimeter units 

• Third-party elements, including a bar, needing integration into the terrace layout 

Any solution had to provide sufficient structural support, meet insulation manufacturer guidance, and maintain a cohesive architectural finish, all within a tight spatial envelope. 

The Solution 

Through collaboration with Valley Provincial, RYNO developed a fully integrated TerraSmart® roof terrace system, combining: 

• TerraSmart Aluminium Decking

• TerraSmart Planter System using the Baseboard Fix

• Contour Bespoke Planters

By consolidating decking and planters into a single engineered system, RYNO removed the need for concrete foundations and eliminated unnecessary complexity across trades. 

Key system features included: 

• Shared substructure for decking and planters 
  Both elements were supported from the same TerraSmart framework, creating a unified build-up and reducing interfaces which is a critical advantage on a refurbishment project. 

• No waterproofing penetrations 
  All loads were transferred through the system without breaching the waterproofing layer, protecting the integrity of the existing structure. 

• Low build-up capability 
  The TerraSmart system was configured to work within tight height constraints while still providing adequate support beneath planters. 

• Spreader plates over Foamglas insulation 
  To meet manufacturer technical guidance, spreader plates were introduced beneath planter bases to distribute loads safely across the insulation layer. 

• Freestanding planter solutions 
  Several planters were positioned over parapet walls, requiring bespoke freestanding support arrangements to manage load transfer without reliance on the parapet structure. 

• Coordinated planter heights and layouts 
  Varying planter sizes, including large central tree planters, were carefully coordinated to create a flowing, cohesive terrace layout within a compact space. 

• Third-party integration 
  Additional elements, including a bar, were successfully integrated and supported off the decking system, ensuring stability and continuity across the terrace. 

Both decking and planters were finished in RAL 8019 Grey Brown, delivering a consistent, seamless aesthetic suited to the character of the historic buildings. 

Collaboration & Simplifying the complex 

RYNO’s direct involvement was focused on supporting a specification change, working primarily with Valley Provincial to provide a complete and technically robust one-stop-shop solution rather than the original mix of manufacturers.  

By offering a complete, integrated system rather than isolated components, RYNO was able to: 

• Provide a single point of warranty 

• Simplify installation 

• Reduce risk at interfaces 

• Eliminate unnecessary structural works 

• Deliver meaningful value engineering without compromising performance or appearance 

The Result 

The completed roof terrace at Egyptian and Dudley House delivers a stunning and high-quality, external amenity space that respects the constraints of a listed building refurbishment while meeting modern performance requirements. 

Through smart system design, careful coordination, and collaborative value engineering, RYNO helped transform a complex specification challenge into a clean, buildable, and future-proofed terrace solution. 

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