Brand new Greenwich University received a prize for its BREEAM+ school complex thanks to the employees of the department of landscape architecture. They commissioned no less than 14 roof gardens on the building and composed a series of “green experiences”. The upper gardens are harsh fields, where in extreme conditions solar panels share space with wild plants. Modern planted borders align the outdoor classroom, students and visitors can harvest “quince”, lettuce and more in the edible gardens. The pool further up has immediately been occupied by a couple of ducks. And a fox climbs the safety stairs at night to stray around on the roof meadows.
“We even have our own honey, but it’s already sold out”, landscape architect Benz Kotzen says.
This project greatly proves that biodiversity in the city can strive to unprecedented heights with great commissions and stewardship. The gardens are taken care of by the staff themselves.
Client:University of Greeenwich
Architect: Heneghan Peng architects
Landscape architect: Benz Kotzen, Robert Holde
Year: 2014
Size roofs: 0,45 hectares