Green Roof For a Park Slope Brownstone

How cool is this. A Park Slope couple decided last year that they wanted to build a green roof atop their brownstone and found, through the Brownstoner Forum, a local design firm called Prospect Architecture (which, in the spirit of full disclosure, also advertises on the Forum). The project, which combined a green roof, photovoltaic array (solar power) and roof deck, is pretty unusual because of its small scale—most green roofs in the city to date (and there aren’t that many of them) have been on larger buildings. Here’s how the architects describe it:

Our design incorporates an intensive (which refers to the use of larger plants) green roof, a large Ipe wood (like teak) deck, a metal and Ipe roof over part of the deck, an aluminum clad bulkhead. A wall and trellis hide new a/c compressors. Solar panels will be installed on top of the roof over the deck, the bulkhead roof and in front of the a/c compressors and will provide roughly 50-60% of the clients power needs including the a/c system. Additionally, our design is experimenting with various shade tolerant plants, like ferns beneath the front solar array, which is expected to help cool the arrays and maintain their top efficiency as well as retain more moisture than the gravel alternative.

The design provokes a feeling of walking through a small meadow while at the same time reminding one of the city that is all around. It is a private oasis with distant vistas of Manhattan and the surrounding neighborhoods of Brooklyn. The planters and benches around the perimeter of the deck add greenery and carry one’s eye past the immediate rooftops to the more panoramic of views. On the south side of the garden, an aluminum-clad wall fashioned with vine covered trellises shield one from the sight and sound of the mechanicals. The specific placement and structure of the architectural elements not only maximize the use of the entire roof, but the modern design acts as a representation of the dichotomy between city and nature.

And what about the cost? A little over $200 a square foot, including demo, structural enhancement, new stairs and bulkhead. Lots more pics on the jump.

If you’ve done, or are in the midst of doing, a cool interior or exterior project like this that you’d like to share, please send us an email at brownstoner@brownstoner.com.