Ballard Library - Seattle

Recently, I stumbled upon a regional blog Pacific Northwest Regional Architecture, which, upon perusal, had a couple of pics of what I think is one of the finest examples of vegetated rooftops anywhere -- The Ballard Library in Seattle, by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. A few photos, that pretty much speak for themselves...




:: images via PNWRA

Solving the perpetual problems associated with green roofs that no one can see, this project offers a unique 'periscope' access to see the roof from ground level, as well as playground-like bubbles to give a sedums-eye view of the roof, and well, just sheer succulant beauty. Props to Swift + Company for the landscape architecture as well. Some additional photos via the BCJ website:






:: images via BCJ

And to show it's not entirely about the roof, the architecture ain't half bad... plus some custom site furnishings to top it off.




:: images via BCJ

Veg.itecture #36

Vegetated Architecture for the week... First a link, via I (heart) Public Space - check out a tour of South Bronx green roof projects - with some interesting examples of rooftop vegetation if you are in the vicinity. Not on the tour, but in the area, is the fantastic, this one has been shown before, but worth another look - the headquarters for Diane von Furstenberg Studio by Public Farm 1 darlings Work AC ... this one is really nice...




:: images via Dezeen

Via Dwell, the first LEED-Gold planned commerical building in San Francisco - with a dual pv/green roof... by Matarozzi/Pelsinger Builders.


:: image via Dwell

Via Jetson Green, the very vegetated: (and significantly softer rendering of the) "...Zero Energy Idea House located at Bass Cove near Bellevue, Washington."


:: image via Jetson Green

Via BDonline, some roof terrace amidst the glass in a Glasgow development...


:: image via BDonline

And a very green earth-sheltered ZedFactory house in Bath, UK by Bill Dunster - via BDonline... an interesting quote on this net-positive house, from homeowner Andrew Mercer: “If we aren’t off-grid within 12 months, the council will ask us to pull the house down, which shows how committed we are.”




:: images via BDonline

And an odd little sliver of grass atop this urban example in this UK development...


:: image via BDonline

Finally... the reason I dislike green roof tray systems... Great house, bad roof - Concourse E in Atlanta via Jetson Green.


:: image via Jetson Green

Details: Illuminated Paving

I've seen some examples of in-pavement lighting - and interesting idea for plazas and more subtle... from working on a competition, and doing a few streetscape projects at work, these alternative pavings (and recent post about new(er) forms of adaptated lighting) are some great tools in the designers arsenal. First, last year when in Seattle, I spotted the plaza at Qwest Field, with pinlights arrayed in a pattern in the pavement. My pic was kind of off, so I found this one online - a good example of some fine night photography as well.


:: image via Forrest Croce

A couple of great posts from Atelier A+D from a couple of projects featured in June. First from, "...Howeler + Yoon... a landscape design - Switch - in which new and old techonologies, and soft and hard textures are braided together to created an integrated and interactive landscape."






:: images via Atelier A+D

Another: "This modern intervention in an old Geneva square (or actually... a trapezoid) by Swiss firm 2b Architectes is quite beautiful. The design manages to be completely modern, yet still evoke images of the past. Using traditional sandstone, as well as glass blocks or cobblestones in a random pattern, the architects are letting you in on a secret - a lake used to occupy this land. The closer you get to the location of the medieval lake, the closer the glass blocks are spaced."






:: images via Atelier A+D

While new lighting products are coming out every day, and they are definitely outside of the traditional boxes, these solutions offer some opportunities provide unique site specific and interesting ways of integrating with the specific design solution. Any other examples out there...?