Everywhere you turn it’s eco this, sustainability that, Al Gore is good, drugs are bad – mmm’kay. Bigger and better ‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’ (LEED) projects are being announced daily, which is the sort of oneupmanship that puts a huge smile on David Suzuki’s face. One of the most marvelous characteristics of green architecture is the blurring of man made and naturally constructed environments. In particular, turfed roofscapes provide incredible illusions of the symbiotic relationship between unnatural and organic elements.
The Nanyang Technological University campus in Singapore is home to a 5-storey School of Art, Design & Media, which has a green roof that will take your breath away. A spectacular verdant turfed roof blends with the surrounding landscape as if flows from the earth. The facade is fastened like a glass curtain, which offers amazing reflections of the meandering structure and centrally located wooded oasis. The architectural form beautifully complements and creates an ambiance and environment conducive for the exploration and exchange of ideas between students and faculty.
Planners were initially challenged to improve and advance LEED standards as this facility was constructed on a wooded valley, which was to be preserved as a bio-lung for the institution. Rather than plop a building onto the landscape, they let the surroundings play a critical role in the overall design. The lush flora insulates the structure, thus requiring less energy for climate control. Furthermore, the extensive use of glass lends to additional energy savings in that less lighting is required during the day.
