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February 10, 2005

Rooftop Housing & Rooftop Gardens

Here at Transfer, its not always about Hatin' New York City's garbage architecture. There are in fact millions of things to love here in the dirty apple. Sometimes, yes, once in a while it even seems appropriate to talk about them, if only as a talking point to why there aren't enough examples of lovable architecture.

Take rooftop housing for instance. Here are two examples from the Transfer archive that demonstrate the kind of imaginative implementation of residential architecture so Uncommmon in these parts lately.

Of course everyone knows the Brilliant application of Rooftop architecture that is SHOP's Porter House in the meatpacking district...

Mayor Daley (yes a Daley is still in power) of Chicago has made it has hallmark to 'green' the city with LEED buildings and the like... But his most interesting, remarkable, and applaudable contribution has been his push for rooftop gardens. In perfect political grace, Daley put the first rooftop garden on a municpal building, by constructing one on top of City Hall. Hanging gardens of Babylon? Not yet...

In addition to the spatial and aesthetic benefits, the environmental impacts are lovable... "green roofs reduce stormwater runoff, insulate buildings leading to lower energy use, clean the air, and control local climate, lessening the formation of smog." According to a Chicago city official, "the city expects to save $4,000 per year in cooling and heating the building due to the insulating capability of a green roof." In addition, "Green roofs can last fifty to a hundred years as opposed to a fifteen-year roof,"

Here is the City of Chicago's Guide to Rooftop Gardening and Penn State Center for Green Roof Research.

Posted by jmarston at February 10, 2005 10:15 AM

Comments

Posted by: Joe at February 10, 2005 01:32 PM

Posted by: dc at April 5, 2005 08:10 AM