5 Amazing Urban Roof Gardens

Ellen Marie Siloy 33 Comments green roofs, urban landscape, urban roof gardens

Urban roof gardens are perfect in reducing the heat retention in buildings or urban heat islands. It cools the air and reduces air pollution in green house gas emissions. The following are just of a few of the best examples of urban roof gardens in the world.

1. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Visitor Center by Weiss/Manfredi

Located at the Garden’s northeast corner, is a glass building with curving green roofs that seems to extend to the existing landscape. Other than the green roof, the building boasts other numerous environmentally sustainable features such as a geo-exchange system that heats and cools interior spaces series of rain. It also has gardens that collect and filter and manages storm water and a preexisting berm in the north side of the building which increases thermal efficiency. The building is aiming to earn its LEED Gold Certification.

2. Namba Parks Urban Roof Garden by Jerde Partnership

This eight level rooftop garden rivals most of today’s green roofing systems in the world. It covers 3.7 hectares and is built on the footprint of the old Osaka Baseball Stadium. The Namba Parks is a stunning design and is not your ordinary shopping complex. With its green roofs, shoppers can enjoy a moment among trees and flowers as they take a relaxing walk or sit on benches. Not only will you see plants or tree groves thriving on the complex rooftop but you’ll find an ecosystem with rock clusters, cliff and canyons, lawns, streams, ponds, vegetable gardens and waterfalls.

3. Nanyang Technology University in Singapore by CPG Consultants Pte. Ltd

The curving green roofs of this creative design connect smoothly with the picturesque landscape. Glass and concrete materials are mainly explored from the exterior of the eco-friendly building. The green roof insulates the building and keeps the surrounding air cool. The green roof also functions as informal gathering spaces for students. The beautiful landscape is irrigated using collected rainwater.

4. Seattle City Hall, Seattle USA, Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Ltd. and Swift and Company

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This is a green roof based on a multi-layered waterproof membrane and has 6 inches of engineered soil support. The vegetation mix contains 60 percent grasses and 40 sedums which causes the look of the roof to change once with every season.

5. Städel Museum in Frankfurt am Main by Schneider Schumacher

One of the most amazing urban roof garden design is this new subterranean contemporary gallery. It has a domed green roof garden with circular skylights. A polka-dotted green roof is the result of 3-year renovation and expansion by the local Frankfurt firm. During the day, the gallery space is illuminated with a natural glow. At night the interior lights shines through the portholes on the roof.