Contemporary Design in Detail: Sustainable Environments

96 Sustainable Environments

Balmori Associates,

Green Roofs at the Solaire Building,

New York, New York, United States

Landscape architects Balmori Associates

collaborated with Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

to integrate vegetated roofs and a hydrologi-

cal system into the Solaire Building, the fi rst

sustainable residential high-rise in the United

States. Two green roofs—a 5,000-square-foot

(464.5 square-meter) terrace on the nine-

teenth fl oor and a 4,800-square-foot (445.9

square-meter) roof on the twenty-eighth

fl oor—absorb rainwater and fi lter pollutants

from the excess runoff , which is collected in a

basement cistern together with the building’s

gray water.  is water is later reused to irri-

gate not only the Solaire roofs but local parks

as well.

97

Environmental Interface

98 Sustainable Environments

bamboo

sound wall

mechanical equipment

slab

planting soil hydrotech

Above Right Typically, green roofs are not

meant to function as rooftop gardens.  e

intensive vegetated surface of the large ter-

race, however, off ers the building’s residents

desirable outdoor green space, with views of

Battery Park City and the Hudson River.

Right Bamboo groves screen the views of

and sounds from the mechanical equipment.

Additionally, they create shade and reduce

wind at the seating areas and along the

walkways.

Opposite  e vegetated surfaces of Solaire

merge architecture, urban setting, and land-

scape: Here the gleaming sculptural forms of

ventilation units that line a walkway of stone

pavers are continued by the buildings in the

distance. At the same time, in the dense ur-

ban fabric of lower Manhattan, greens roofs,

especially when clustered, contribute to the

environment by absorbing solar radiation

and improving air quality.

Opposite Below  ree types of planting

beds form terraces rising from the paths and

benches at the periphery of the roof.  e two

categories of vegetated roofs at the Solaire

use diff erent plants.  e extensive green roof

consists of grasses and sedums in 4 inches

(102 millimeters) of planting soil. Nine fl oors

below, the intensive green terrace displays a

larger variety of fl ora, including bamboo and

other perennials, in 4-, 12-, and 18-inch (102-

, 305-, and 457-millimeter) planting beds.

99

Section through Paver Section through 12” (305 mm) Planter Section through 18” (457 mm) Planter

2” (51 mm)

stone paver

4” (102 mm)

structural soil

6”

(152 mm)

clear anodized

aluminum plate

grass/ground-

covers

intermediate

planting bed

aluminum

angle frame

tall bamboo

planting bed

6”

(152 mm)

6”

(152 mm)

Environmental Interface