INHABITAT wrote about a prototype urban rooftop garden in Los Angeles designed by Alexis Rochas, a professor at Sci-Arc. The garden sits on top of a residential building.
According to INHABITAT, some of the roof’s benefits to the building include increased filtering of pollutants, thermal roof insulation, and reduced storm water runoff. Additionally, food will be grown on the roof, consumed, and, at the end of the cycle, returned in the form of compost.
INHABITAT says: “A prefabricated, suspended metal blanket and specialized recycled plywood frame outline a series of grow channels which are filled with an engineered growth medium (which is much lighter than natural soil). The undulating surface negotiates the space around existing HVAC and mechanical rooftop equipment, offering a 100% usable surface that is tiered for maximum solar exposure.”
The prototype garden is part of the Los Angeles Community Garden Council program. The prototype garden currently has fruit trees and vines, and herbs and vegetables that will be used by residents and a nearby restaurant.
