Greenroofs.com Project of the Week: 8/10/15

West Michigan Symphony, Russell Block Building
Muskegon, MI, USA
900 sf. Greenroof

Project Description & Details

In 2013, the West Michigan Symphony opened new offices in the historic Russell Block Building, constructed in 1890. The renovation of the building by Port City Construction & Development Services gave the Symphony an opportunity to fulfill its vision of creating a flexible space to stage smaller, intimate fine arts performances and to offer a venue for meetings and special events. Situated on the second floor, “The Block” holds 1,800 square feet of space and seating on two levels for 150 people. With the assistance of Fleis & VandenBrink, architect and landscape architect for the project, the Symphony enhanced The Block by opening it up to the previously unimproved tar roof outdoor area, which was the inspiration for the green roof and patio with a view of Muskegon Lake.

To create a landscaped rooftop garden with variations in plant types, heights, and colors, the Advanced Green Roof Flex-Built System from Advanced Green Architecture (AGA) was used to install a mixed extensive and semi-intensive design with growing media ranging from 4 inches to 8 inches. The project’s signature element is the paved patio that features a distinctive musical note motif. The challenge was to express the design smoothly and seamlessly, and the paving material also had to be permeable to facilitate drainage as well as lightweight because of load restrictions. Porous Pave XLS was installed. The main section of the vegetative area adjacent to the paved patio is a Sedum “Sod,” an AGA mix of a half dozen Sedum species. Sedum “Autumn Joy” and an Allium/Sedum “Blue Spruce” mix are also featured species. Taller accent plants next to the wall include Blue Fescue Grass, Feather Reed Grass, and Little Bluestem Grass.

Check back next week on Greenroofs.com and learn much more about this project with the new Guest Feature Article “Green Roof Graces the West Michigan Symphony’s Gathering Space” by David Aquilina.

Find more photos and additional information about this project in The International Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database.

Year: 2014
Owner: West Michigan Symphony
Location: Muskegon, MI, USA
Building Type: Multi-Use
Type: Semi- Intensive
System: Single Source Provider
Size: 900 sq.ft.
Slope: 1%
Access: Accessible, By Appointment

Designers/Manufacturers of Record:

Architect and Landscape Architect: Fleis & VandenBrink, Inc.
General Contractor and Roofing Contractor: Port City Construction & Development
Green Roof System: Advanced Green Roof
Green Roof Design & Installation: Advanced Green Architecture
Permeable Pavement Manufacturer & Installation: Porous Pave, Inc.

Project of the Week Video Feature

Watch the West Michigan Symphony, Russell Block Building Project of the Week Video below or see it on our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube:

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Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!

~ Linda V.