Ground & Sound
Experience an enchanting musical score in our very own secret garden
Ground & Sound explores themes of wellbeing, regeneration, care and reflection, and also enables you to hear the story of our Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden from our resident gardeners, the horticultural therapy group Grounded Ecotherapy.
The enchanting musical score of Ground & Sound uses experimental field recordings and samples of the hidden sounds within the Queen Elizabeth Roof Garden and its wildlife.
Activated by QR codes, placed around the garden itself, you can immerse yourself in the work whilst surrounded by the tranquil landscape of native trees and British wildflowers.
Ground & Sound was commissioned by our Arts & wellbeing team as part of our Planet Summer season in 2023.
‘The music I made in response to the garden reflects how this inspirational oasis is visually and sonically encased within its urban and Brutalist environment.’
artist Simon Roth on Ground & Sound
Opening times
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Location
Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden
Image gallery
Meet the artists
Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck is a painter, trans-disciplinary artist and cultural practitioner.
Simon Roth is a multi-instrumentalist musician, composer and producer.
Listen at home
If you are unable to make it to our roof garden, then enjoy the work in your own outdoor space via Soundcloud.
For your visit
Queen Elizabeth Hall Southbank Centre
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.
Plan your visit
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is home to both our second-largest auditorium and the Purcell Room.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
Queen Elizabeth Hall is home to our glass-fronted Concrete Cafe, the ideal spot to recharge, or catch up with friends, whilst the bustle of Central London and the River Thames carries on around you.
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.
Related
Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden
Enjoy our very own secret garden, a green oasis in the heart of the city.
Grounded Ecotherapy
Meet the remarkable team of volunteers who make our garden what it is.
Roof Garden Bar & Kitchen
The perfect spot to grab a drink and a bite to eat and relax among the trees.