The objective of the Greenest of the Green Block of Flats is to explore the functionality of green areas on the roofs of apartment buildings and to gain important insight into the impacts green roofs may have on housing and the sense of community.
The study covers an exceptionally extensive green development project in an apartment building located in a variable urban environment. In addition, the study looks into the effects that green areas have on, for example, urban runoff, energy efficiency, and the happiness of the residents.
The project in Jätkäsaari is a wonderful combination of research and construction: for instance, the green facades form a scientific experiment that tests how the quality of the growing medium, direction, and floor height affect the survival of the plants. Furthermore, the ways of using the various green roofs of the building are being developed through co-design in order to ensure that the future designs for green roof spaces are even better and meet the needs of the residents as well as possible. The knowledge produced in this location will help to design better, more sustainable solutions with more environmental responsibility.
“This is a dream come true -project for me“, says landscape designer, horticulturist Taina Suonio, ‘the mother of the project’. “The research group is very happy of the fact that the concepts we brought up during the first meeting, such as a meadow roof, a fruit and berry oasis, a garden of useful plants, and a butterfly feeding station, have all come true after extensive cooperation with the different stakeholders of the project“, emphasizes professor Susanna Lehvävirta, the leader of the research group.
Read more of the project here:
https://ta.fi/julkaisut/the-greenest-of-the-green/
The kitchen garden is the heart of the block. Photo by Taina Suonio