EcoFactor: A wonderful green 14,000-square-foot rooftop in downtown Chicago designed by Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects wins 2008 Green Roof Award of Excellence.
In a world where the concrete jungle that surrounds us seems to have robbed us of some spectacular sights and sounds that nature has to offer, an architecture firm has brought that eco-magic onto a 14,000 square foot rooftop in downtown Chicago. Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects have turned a concrete rooftop into a place of green magic by redesigning it with small trees, shrubs, grass and tall verbena. By using a variety of grasses, shrubs and small Japanese plants, the rooftop was turned into a green heaven with a wonderful and serene patio constructed with recycled concrete and wood.
The rooftop not only gives people a green retreat from a mundane city life, but also acts as a natural insulator for the building by regulating temperature. This saves energy that is otherwise used for heating systems. It also collects and redirects rainwater so that the water resources can also be managed in the best possible manner. This wonderful design has won by Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects the 2008 Green Roof Award of Excellence.
The Dark Side:
While it would be hard to find chinks in a green roof, it would be nice if the architects could go a step further and create zero-energy homes. That would not only give a visual green perception but enable the residents to go completely eco-friendly as well. More energy-saving techniques and better water management ways could surely help them immensely.
Via: Trendir
