Annual Awards, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
Big Sur, CA
This guest house and garage complex is just 200 yards from the Pacific, and the challenge was to disturb the site as little as possible. The buildings are set into the landscape, and they feature a number of "green" materials as well as an extensive green roof, ie, a roof with low lying plants that provide maximum water retention and ground cover, as well as resistance to erosion. Extensive green roof plants are usually no more than six inches high and are supported in soil two to four inches deep.
This particular green roof and its surrounding area were designed and installed by Fred Ballerini, and the plant palette was selected from the surrounding habitat prior to construction. Several endangered butterfly host and nectar plants were chosen for the rooftop location, as well as other species that provide habitat for birds, reptiles, and insects.
The judges noted that the most exciting part of the project was the effort to reduce the building impact by re-using native plant communities and taking care to recreate local flora and fauna habitats. They also said the Big Sur project is a "superior example of a green roof that can minimize the impact of building by attempting to heal the ecological disruption that its construction caused."
Boston, MA
The 12-story Macallen Building residential condominiums are located between South Boston and an expansive industrial area. Landworks Studio Inc designed two separate green roofs for the complex, including an upper sloping roof with shallow-rooted plants, and a recreational terrace with planting medium of six inches to five feet. This is an "intensive" green roof, or one that supports a more natural landscape with trees and shrubs and many other types of plants.
The recreational terrace includes a lap pool, and the design team also wanted to make the roof attractive for those in surrounding buildings. The judges cited the project for different environments at different tiers of the building, and noted that there was an educational component to it during construction ... a class offered in green roof development at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
Los Angeles, CA
And, in the green wall category, this year's award went to Green Living Technologies Inc for a 750 square foot green wall that produces fresh produce without the use of pesticides in four locations in and around downtown Los Angeles. The project is the Urban Farming Food Chain, which grows crops such as tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, lettuce, watermelon and many other fruits and vegetables for neighborhood organizations and others in need of food. The judges cited the project for its aesthetics and its functionality, but also because it "brings together economically disadvantaged people to promote self-sufficiency ... and encourage improved social interaction.
For all award recipients, see the Green Roof website here.
(click on photos to enlarge)
(photos: Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and top: Carver + Schicketanz Arhitects; middle: Landworks Studio Inc; and bottom: Green Living Technologies Inc)
I have always been amazed with green rooftop design it is the coolest thing. Thanx for the great articles and pics
Posted by: Mr. Carriage Clocks | June 09, 2009 at 09:21 AM