Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof & Community Space
Greenpoint Brooklyn, NY, USA
21,711 sf Greenroof

Greenroofs.com Project of the Week: July 16, 2018

When I think of a sensitively and beautifully designed meadow in the sky in Brooklyn, I immediately think of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Visitor Center and the Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof & Community Space.  Both are the result of hard work and commitment to ameliorating the local environment and bringing nature back into the city’s urban fabric.

The Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof & Community Space is unique in many ways, but perhaps most importantly because it was also designed to function as an interactive open space for people, as well as flora and fauna.

Designer and greenroof promoter/builder Marni Majorelle is the brainchild behind this awesome community endeavor and project embracing environmental stewardship.  Knowing she needed a local non-profit as a partner, she approached the NYC Audubon who along with Newton Creek Alliance and others put the financial wheels in motion.

Yet, without the corporate and personal involvement of Tony and Gina Argento, owners of Broadway Stages where the greenroof is located, the Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof & Community Space simply would not have been possible.  Donating the roof space and matching funds, the Argentos are prime examples of community leadership in Greenpoint, Brooklyn!  And the result is a beautiful Green Roof & Community Space for all to enjoy.

Finally, it’s always great when we can incorporate film snippets in our Project of the Week videos.  Karen Benfield, a board member of NYC Audubon, created a wonderful video with her production company, Lark Song Media.  We’re thankful to the NYC Audubon / Lark Song Media for sharing theirs!

Mini Description & Details

Located in a highly industrial area in north Brooklyn, Kingsland Wildflowers is a Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund project committed to expanding natural habitat and green corridors for bird and wildlife populations.

The project is a great example of a creative partnership, an inspiring vision, and an urban transformation for the benefit of the community.

First created in the mind of Marni Majorelle, founder of Alive Structures, she brought together local businesses and non-profit organizations in joining efforts.  The space for the green roof was donated by Tony Argento, founder of Broadway Stages, a local film and production company.

The NYC Audubon manages the project and oversees green roof wildlife monitoring through bat and bird microphones and swallow houses installed on the green roof.  Newtown Creek Alliance conducts research into land use, policy, and economic factors of green roof installation in industrial areas.

The Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof & Community Space had its grand opening in September 2016, and by August 2017 it also included a second sedum roof.  The green roof oasis acts as a natural habitat – a habitat expansion program – to foster local bird and wildlife populations.

Designed by Marni Majorelle, plants were specifically selected to attract birds and other wildlife with native grasses and herbaceous perennial species native to New York.  One is the Butterfly Weed, used as a host plant for monarch butterflies and produces silky seed pod fibers used by Baltimore Orioles and American Goldfinches in nesting.

More

The rooftop wildflower meadow is supported by ultralite growing media, the rooflite® semi-intensive 500 series.  A sphere water fountain overflows with water, nestled amidst the winding New York State Bluestone walkway, and the water feature is a popular focal point of the green roof garden.

The Kingsland Wildflowers Greenroof & Community Space offers enrichment activities for the neighborhood, including author lectures, eco-festivals, native plant walk tours, bird surveys, wine and beer tastings, and an outdoor classroom for local schools and the general public.  Greenpoint can now enjoy a green corridor habitat of native grasses and flowers for New York City’s bird, bat, and pollinator populations.

Year: 2016, 2017
Owner: Broadway Stages
Location: Greenpoint Brooklyn, NY, USA
Building Type: Commercial
Type: Semi-Intensive
System: Custom
Size: 21711 sq.ft.
Slope: 1%
Access: Accessible, By Appointment

Designers/Manufacturers of Record:

Greenroof Designer: Marni Majorelle, Alive Structures
Waterproofing Membrane & Insulation: Alive Structures
General Contractor: Alive Structures
Soil System: Perennial Roofs, rooflite®
Growing Media: rooflite semi-intensive 500
Water Retention Layer & Filter Layer: Conservation Technologies
Roofing Consultant: Rex Lari, Engineer, Total Structural Group, LLC
Kingsland Wildflowers Project Coordinator: Niki Jackson, New York City Audubon (Former)

All the Info:

View the Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof & Community Space Project Profile to see ALL of the Photos and Additional Information about this particular project in the Greenroofs.com Projects Database.

Project of the Week Video Feature

Watch the Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof & Community Space Project of the Week Video below or see it on our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube:

Greenroofs.com Project of the Week 7/16/18 video credits: NYC Audubon / Lark Song Media.  Video photo credits courtesy of rooflite®; New York City Audubon including from Mitch Waxman,  Niki Jackson, and Andrew Maas; Kingsland Wildflowers; and the Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof & Community Space Facebook page.

Did we miss your contribution? Please let us know to add you to the Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof & Community Space profile.

Would you like one of your projects to be featured on Greenroofs.com? We have to have a profile first! Submit Your Project Profile.

Love the Earth, Plant a Roof (or Wall)!

By Linda S. Velazquez, ASLA, LEED AP, GRP
Greenroofs.com Publisher & Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summits Host