GRANDE ROOFTOP GARDEN
Location: Drøbak, Norway
Client: Grande Panorama AS
Status: Under construction
Typology: Rooftop garden
Area: 700m²
Role: Consultant for Borhaven Arkitekter
Team: Armelle Breuil, Lucien Millet
Partners: Asya Güney
Environmental approach: Concept for durability
The former Grande nursing home is refurbished by Borhaven Arkitekter to become a beautiful and functional housing building of high quality. Grande is a typical example of 1960s institutional architecture, with a regular design language and gridded facades in naturbetong and brick, that contrasts with the traditional wooden houses in the area.
Environmental approach: an edible garden on the roof terrace
Rooftop gardening is a concept as old as roofs. Yet, in Scandinavia the weather is not always pleasant. We wanted to develop a concept to encourage the use of this panoramic space. For
that, we proposed to divide the roof in individual lots, and ensure that every flat owner will be able to enjoy a private garden, with a wonderful view over the fjord. Each garden is around 20m², and can be arranged as people want. In the summer, good sun exposure is ensured!
We designed planter box based on standard bamboo dimensions used in the project, in order to reduce waste. To keep within the load bearing capacity of the existing roof structure, we decided to use narrow strips of planter boxes instead of a fully planted roof. The raised beds are also easier to maintain. We designed different heights to be able to protect the vegetables from the wind and to create a varied roofscape.