Green Roof Ecology

About the Course

This course links urban ecology and urban design through a civic engagement project with partners that are building, designing, and managing green roofs in NYC. Green roofs are examples of green infrastructure, often seen by policy makers and community members as a way to increase biodiversity in cities, mitigate urban heat, absorb stormwater, and provide novel spaces for social benefits. Yet, there is less research-based evidence quantifying these social and ecological benefits in the context of a rooftop green space, and therefore limited information about how they can be enhanced to maximize their social and environmental benefits. In this course, we examine specific social, ecological and environmental aspects of urban green roofs and learn urban field ecology and participatory research design techniques in partnership with Brooklyn Grange, a worldwide pioneer in rooftop farming with large-scale green roofs in Brooklyn and Queens. We connect scientific knowledge and awareness of New York City policy contexts with diverse design skills as we study urban ecology in the vertical architecture of the city. This intensive studio course will allow us to build the knowledge base for designing improved functionality, beauty, and ecological and environmental features that benefit both human and non-human species. We will meet at various project sites on the roofs of Vice Media HQ and a residential co op building in Long Island City, as well as other green roofs several times throughout the semester.  

Student Work

Spring 2019