urban greening

Being based in Brooklyn, we design many landscapes set in dense urban contexts. From institutions to housing developers to private residence owners, we have found that clients have a growing appreciation for the value that landscape amenities bring and they are quick to utilize every opportunity for exterior green space. Roofs, terraces, light wells, vertical building faces, tiny rear yards, window sills and property street edges are all seen as opportunities for green relief to the urban condition. As lower level commercial spaces and parking facilities in multi-use developments transition to more singular apartment towers above, the roofs of the lower levels become elevated parks for the use of the residents. Even roofs that cannot be occupied are planted to enhance the views out of overlooking windows and to improve the energy efficiency of the buildings.

This trend has been greatly aided by recent advances in green roof technologies that are now so thoroughly accepted that they have become main stream. Where incorporating plants on a building was a novelty twenty years ago, now most the landscapes for building projects that we design in urban conditions include landscapes over structure.

As the environmental benefits and quality of life advantages of living near growing things is reaffirmed daily, the city is becoming a greener and greener place.