Archinect - News

An MIT-born startup is pitching their idea for green roof additions to the Parisian skyline

2023-04-05T16:45:00-04:00

A new startup born out of the MIT School of Architecture and Planning has developed a green roof concept aimed at improving the quality of life of Parisians while addressing a host of environmental and urban health concerns for the ancient city of 2.1 million.

Roofscapes is the brainchild of Master of Architecture students Eytan Levi, Olivier Faber, and Tim Cousin. The trio all hail from France and met while studying as undergraduates at the EPFL Lausanne. Together, they see the concept as a way to “unlock” the potential of the thousands of pitched roof structures throughout Paris that have for centuries gone unused.

“We knew we wanted to have an impact on the built environment that was different than what a lot of architectural firms were doing,” Faber told MIT News for a recent profile of the venture. “We were thinking about a startup, but mostly we came to MIT because we knew we’d have a lot of agency to grow our skills and competency in adapting the built environment to the cli...

MVRDV's The Podium at Het Nieuwe Instituut seeks to showcase the role rooftops can play in urban design

2022-03-01T19:13:00-05:00

Expanding on its long and studied history of demonstrating the capacity for rooftop spaces to produce a better urban environment, MVRDV has now revealed plans for a bright, new, temporary event space on top of the Jo Coenen-designed Het Nieuwe Instituut that will serve as the heart and arteries of Rotterdam’s Rooftop Walk and Architecture Month this summer.

For a little over ten weeks, the 600-square-meter space can be accessed via a 143-step staircase leading into an elevated viewing platform on the pergola of the Instituut and is meant to engage visitors with an informative view of the neighboring Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen and Museumpark in addition to its built-in program of creative inspiration.

Image © MVRDV

Rising to a height of 29 meters (95 feet), the temporary platform is meant to highlight the city's rooftops' amazing potential to reduce the sprawl as it provides Rotterdammers with the ability to pursue a host of green activities ranging from energy product...

Designing living walls and green roofs could be your next future-proof career move

2021-08-11T13:13:00-04:00

Exploring alternative options for building sustainability has become a critical part of the architectural design process. With climate change efforts increasing, living walls and green roofs are one of the many ways architects, landscape architects, and design professionals transform new and existing buildings.

Last week, we highlighted an opportunity to work as an Interior Architect for a Las Vegas Theatre company. This week we're profiling the North Carolina-based firm Living Roofs Inc. and their search for a Project Designer. This job position is ideal for someone looking for part-time work and passionate about horticulture and green infrastructure.

Living Roof team working on green roof that sits on top of Publix grocery story at the Smokey Hollow development in downtown Raleigh. Plant Materials Used: Native Perennials and Grasses. Image courtesy of Living Roofs Inc. via Instagram

The firm shares that their ideal candidate will help with "various drafting, graphic production, a...

10 green rooftop spaces we liked this week

2021-05-14T14:24:00-04:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Rooftop Spaces.

Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles.

↑ 500 West 21st Street in New York, NY by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF)

↑ Vertical Loft in New York, NY by SKOLNICK Architecture + Design Partnership; Photo: Thomas Loof

↑ Jackson Tech House in Jackson, WY by Cushing Terrell in collaboration with Hoyt Architects; Photo: Gibeon Photography

↑ Tsuga Townhomes in Seattle, WA by Wittman Estes (the firm was also featured in Archinect's Studio Snapshots series); Photo: Miranda Estes

↑ ARTSPACE in Vienna, Austria by BEHF Architects; Photo: Hertha Hurnaus

↑ Mariposa1038 in Los Angeles, CA by Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects (learn what it takes to work at this firm in Archi...

A case for nature: Architect and regenerative design strategist Amanda Sturgeon pushes for rewilding cities

2021-04-06T20:39:00-04:00

More cities are incorporating biophilic design approaches for several reasons. While some firms genuinely practice regenerative and sustainable design methods, others could be placed into the category of "greenwashing" to satisfy trends and bolster their firm's PR efforts. However, according to architect and regenerative design strategist Amanda Sturgeon, the goal is to have buildings "that are intimately connected to the living systems that have evolved with us, that celebrate the human-nature connection that is central to our wellbeing."

In her recent article for The Guardian, Sturgeon makes a case for rewilding cities. She explains, "rewilding is about adding nature everywhere, not just in parks, by using nature-based solutions or green infrastructure at the edges of our streets, in leftover spaces, and on and within our buildings."

Featured on Archinect: McMansion Hell's Kate Wagner dissects issues with big tech and the 'blurred line' between private and public space. Image cou...

New York's roofs may get a lot greener soon

2020-03-19T08:00:00-04:00

Local Laws 92 and 94, which went into effect on November 15, 2019, require all new buildings and major roof alterations to be capped with a green roof, solar panels, or some combination of the two. If successful, the new policies could transform New York’s skyline.

In their publication Urban Omnibus, The Architectural League of New York asked experts from the Green Roof Researchers Alliance to elaborate on the implications of NYC's ambitious decarbonization legislation, the Climate Mobilization Act, which — since November 2019 — requires all new buildings and major roof alterations to feature either a green roof, solar panels, or a combined solution.

Green roof live cam on Javits Center. Stream via Javits Center on YouTube.

"Green roofs are so important for New York City in the changing climate," explains Danielle Spiegel-Feld, an urban environmental law and sustainable energy policy researcher and professor at New York University School of Law, in the interview. "They’re so important for stormwater mitigation. They’re so important for water management, which becomes increasingly crucial as rain flows become heavier in the summer. They’re so important for the urban heat island effect. They’re a critical part of our adaptation strategy, so we ...

Ohio University's Schoonover Center to don new educational green roof

2019-11-20T18:45:00-05:00

Students may soon have the opportunity to grow plants on top of Schoonover Center, once construction of the green roof is completed...The green roof, which furthers Ohio University’s commitment to sustainability, will serve three purposes: research, education and outreach, all through a cross-disciplinary lens.

The idea for the project began with Kim Thompson, an assistant professor of instruction in the department of environmental and plant biology, reports The Post. Currently, more than 50 students, faculty members, and other individuals are involved in the project.

Natalie Kruse Daniels, associate professor of environmental studies and director of Ohio University's environmental studies program, told The Post, “We’re looking at large scale development of green infrastructure that’s going to be accessible to classes and incorporate that data into lesson plans. And students will gain experience that will help them become professionals.”

Green roofs continue to face hurdles

2019-10-26T10:00:00-04:00

The wide-range of benefits offered by green roofs have encouraged increasing numbers of municipalities and building owners alike to invest in this architectural sustainability solution. Aside from fighting air pollution and mitigating urban heat island effect, these roofs also implement savings on energy costs and offer spaces for pollinators and other wildlife. With these and other benefits, it's surprising why there aren't more green roofs. A recent article written by senior lecturer of urban geography Michael Hardman and research fellow Nick Davies from the University of Salford highlights the obstacles and opportunities faced by proponents of the growing green roof trend.

In their detailed piece from The Conversation, the researchers point out two primary factors affecting the success of these sustainable design options: buy-in from city authorities and institutions and a need for further research on green roof variations for different types of rooftop spaces.

World Building of...

It's unofficial - official. Denver did #VoteYes on #I300.

2017-11-15T12:24:00-05:00

The leads in those races have never flipped since polls closed Tuesday night. Denver city officials, including Mayor Michael Hancock, already were treating the Green Roof Initiative as though it would pass, given its growing lead with every release of results.

Jon Murray and Kieran Nicholson report the final, unofficial, results released by the Denver Elections Division. BLUF Denver voters passed the Green Roof Initiative and Mayor Hancock and the city are committing to "how best to implement it within the laws and property rights that people have, and to make sure that the spirit of the law that the people have passed is implemented appropriately."

As, Department of Community Planning and Development spokeswoman Andrea Burns noted on CBS4 "green roofs are already possible in Denver. It's just a matter of making those agreements that are part of Initiative 300 work with our system now. We're going to make this work for the people of Denver."

For some on the ground reporting the night of the election, check out; Andrew Kenney over at Denverite and some video/Tweets via Denver Posts @ShannonHoffmanM. * Full disclosure I was at the I300 celebration and part of the campaign's street team.

Finally, if you are feeling inspired, you can check out...

5 key drivers of the healthy building movement

2017-03-26T20:20:00-04:00

The wide-ranging efforts include improving indoor air quality and even increasing activity levels of building occupants. Allen and colleagues at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health have defined nine foundations for healthier buildings, such as better water quality, reducing noise, regulating temperature, and maximizing light.

As part of the Urban Expeditions series, Brian Howard explored some of the latest trends in green design, which go far beyond energy and water efficiency to issues of public health/wellness.

Madrid is about to get a lot more green

2016-01-26T15:31:00-05:00

Nature is poised to reconquer Madrid. Faced with rising summer temperatures, Spain’s capital has announced plans, reported in today’s El Pais, to seam the city so thoroughly with new green patches that its face could be quite transformed. City parks will be expanded and restored, and 22 new urban gardens created. Vacant public land will be freed up to create community gardens while the banks of the city’s scrappy Manzanares River will be thickly planted with trees...

According to the report, other components of the initiative include funding and encouragement for green roofs and façades. Plants beds would be added to paved squares and ponds may be created to catch excess stormwater like in Copenhagen.

Madrid's location – perched high on a plateau that receives little rain – has always brought harsh winters and grueling summers. But according to a study made by Arup, rainfall could drop by 25% by the midcentury. When it does arrive, it's probably going to be in massive summer storms that can have more averse effects than positive.

If put into action, this plan could greatly improve the city today – and save it from tomorrow.

Related:

France Mandates "Green Roofs" for all new buildings

2015-05-25T16:51:00-04:00

A new law recently passed in France mandates that all new buildings that are built in commercial zones in France must be partially covered in either plants or solar panels. Green roofs, as they are called, have an isolating effect which helps to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat a building during the winter or cool it in the summer. They are capable of retaining rainwater and reducing problems with runoff, and also offer birds a place to call home in the urban jungle.