CASE STUDY: PARTNERS HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATIVE CAMPUS, SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS

Photo: Kyle J. Caldwell

The Partners Healthcare Administrative Campus rooftop space was created using a pedestal deck system with wood tiles and is landscaped with trees and foliage.

OJB Landscape Architecture and Gensler Architects designed a versatile rooftop space using a pedestal deck system with modular wood tiles for the Partner’s Healthcare Administrative Campus in Somerville, Massachusetts. This health-care provider’s new 825,000-square-foot headquarters features an employee campus whose design focus is on community and sustainability. The building is LEED Gold certified and has sustainable attributes, which include landscape features that absorb rainwater, solar panels in the parking garage that will supply up to 30 percent of the campus’ power, and a rooftop deck with a garden retreat and cafeteria.

The rooftop deck is landscaped with trees and foliage, providing workers with easy access to fresh air and outdoor dining. It also provides comfortable lounge seating around a rooftop cafeteria. The deck is comprised of custom-made 30- x 30-inch wood tiles and is supported by adjustable pedestals. The tiles were per request of OJB Landscape Architecture to match the dimensions of the fenestration adjacent to the deck, creating an attractive linear design.

This case study is a great example of a sustainable project in that it addresses stormwater issues, reduces the building’s energy consumption through solar panels, and provides a rooftop garden that encourages social interaction, outdoor activity, and relaxation.

Modular Wood Tiles for Ground or Rooftop Applications

Typically made from dense hardwoods, wood tiles are commercial grade and available in responsibly harvested standard and FSC-certified species. Wood species include fused bamboo, cumaru, garapa, ipê, mahogany, and massaranduba. Hardwood tiles contain a rich variety of graining and coloration, are exceptionally dense, and resist insects. Wood tiles can be crafted from premium-grade remnants and are harvested in an environmentally responsible way designed to preserve the economic viability of rainforest hardwoods.

Thanks to their density, hardwood species require minimal maintenance. If maintaining the wood color is desired, wood tiles can be periodically cleaned and sealed. Left to weather naturally, the wood tiles will develop a silvery-gray patina. Because they weigh one-third as much as concrete pavers, wood tiles are a good alternative when surface material weight is a factor. The tiles can be laid in a parquet or linear pattern, or mixed with pavers, river rock, stone, plank decking, or other options to create unique aesthetics.

Because they are modular, the wood tiles meet SITES 5.3 – Design for Adaptability and Disassembly. The wood tiles also meet SITES 5.8 as they support safer chemistry.

Site Furnishings for Enhancing Landscape Spaces

Site furnishings such as benches, tables, and planters provide enhancements to any outdoor space, creating more inviting spaces for leisure activities and social interaction. Modular planters offer flexible options for the addition of plantings to roof gardens, small urban spaces, pop-up parks, and/or building plazas. Planters are available in a variety of materials, including metal, cast stone, concrete, resin, fiberglass, and wood. Aluminum planters offer the durability of metal with a lighter weight, making them easy to move and place onto rooftop decks.

Planter cubes that are constructed of lightweight, recycled aluminum are durable, low maintenance, and designed to withstand extreme temperatures. This makes them ideal for rooftop locations that are subject to extreme winds, sun, and weather. These aluminum planter cubes can be painted using an industrial-strength powder-coating technology developed with modern aesthetics in mind. Powder coating is a dry finishing process that is applied electrostatically and cured under heat, creating a more resilient finish than conventional paint. The process does not emit any volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air and allows the aluminum planter cubes to be coated with any RAL paint code color. (RAL is a color-matching system used in Europe to define paint, coatings, and plastics. RAL is an abbreviation for the Dutch institute that administers the color standard.) The aluminum planter cubes typically contain 20 percent recycled content, are 100 percent recyclable, include drain holes and irrigation sleeves, and are made in the United States. They come in a variety of size and color choices, providing a number of design options for landscape architects.

Wood planters provide another material option for introducing plants onto a rooftop garden or a ground-level exterior space. Ipê wood planter cubes and ipê wood planter cube tops offer a selection of modular design options to incorporate seating, storage, and planters into a ground-level or rooftop space. With the long-lasting durability of dense hardwoods, these wood planters and tops can withstand harsh environments. The warm wood tones and varied grain provide a natural complement to wood decking. The wood planter cubes may have a polyurethane lining and drainage holes, making plant care and maintenance easy. Custom sizes and species are available as well. Modular planter cubes may be used as planters or with an ipê top for seating and/or storage, providing flexibility of design options. Most planters have drain holes and irrigation sleeves that make caring for plants or vegetables convenient. As a storage unit, they can be used for seasonal items like cushions or throw pillows.

Lightweight aluminum trays expand the design options for rooftop environments. Used as a containment system for architectural rocks or other deck elements, the low-clearance aluminum trays integrate seamlessly with the modular planters and wood tiles, providing designers with a palette of materials for designing rooftop environments. Many aluminum trays are corrosion resistant, made in the United States, and available in a variety of standard and custom size options that offer modular integration with a pedestal deck system.

CASE STUDY: SYMPHONY HOUSE APARTMENTS, NEW YORK CITY

Photo courtesy of Bison Innovative Products

The Symphony House Apartments utilized a pedestal deck system and modular aluminum planters to create this green roof.

Designed by FX FOWLE Architects, the Symphony House ninth-floor setback was an underused asset with a 25-year-old roof that needed to be replaced. This roof space was transformed into a 12,000-square-foot eco-friendly tenant amenity featuring attractive pavers supported by pedestals. The roof space also included planting areas with trees and shrubs as well as seating areas and lighting. In addition to providing an exciting new outdoor amenity for its residents, the green roof at Symphony House provides a number of ecological benefits, including stormwater retention, heat insulation, and the ingredients for a more balanced ecosystem.

By contouring the roof’s landscape and strategically planting tall grasses and river birch trees, architects were able to create special areas for residents to relax, entertain, and connect with the natural environment. One of the roof’s sustainable initiatives is that it collects and stores rainwater to support the plant life, which in turn reduces the roof’s ambient temperature, making the space cooler throughout the summer.

The use of wood on rooftop environments has become popular, as wood products provide a lightweight material that can easily be transported to a rooftop. Wood also provides an aesthetically pleasing walking surface for roof plazas as well as rooftop shade structures, such as pergolas.

Photo courtesy of Thermory USA

Shown is thermally modified white ash decking board.