Not only does Karlson enjoy the top floors with views of the entire city. The short, chubby guy with a propeller made an illegal extension on the roof of the residential complex for his own needs, which is not very correct in essence, but in fact - very resourceful. Large construction companies specializing in premium and business class LCDs, they took the example of the self-management of the Swedish hero and decided to adapt it to the needs of a wide range of owners. What came out of this? Let's find out together.
Gardens on the rooftops of megacities
You won't see this typical triangular roof on any skyscraper that children decorate their drawings of houses with. Everywhere there are only flat surfaces, which are perfect for arranging areas for relaxation, work, and other activities. While the vast majority of buildings continue to shine with "bald heads," isolated complexes are growing lush "hair." In many metropolises in Europe and America, it can be noticed from a distance by its juicy green color. Oasis roofs can already be found in countries such as:
- USA. Company Brooklyn Grange named after their native neighborhood in New York, Brooklyn Grange has become the largest organization in America dedicated to intensive rooftop greening. This bold idea brought together major American farmers who wanted to bring a piece of the suburbs into the metropolis, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of urban life. Representatives of Brooklyn Grange annually produce over 80,000 pounds (≈36,287 kg) of organic vegetables on a 5-acre (≈2 ha) area. The harvested produce is sold at farmers' markets and supplied to city residents at affordable prices. To reconnect people with nature, Brooklyn Grange hosts various private events on their green rooftops, such as corporate events, weddings, dinner parties, and media presentations. On average, each year the farms are visited by over 12,000 people, indicating a growing societal interest in the rooftop greening program.
- Canada. The closer to the sun - the higher the harvest. Enterprising residents of Montreal have long discovered this simple truth and are taking full advantage of it. Lufa Farms became the first commercial greenhouse placed directly on the roof of a house, so the rows of glass domes do not bother anyone. During the day, they receive enough natural light, and when darkness falls, special ultraviolet lamps light up here so that plants are constantly saturated with light, and fruits ripen faster. Many residents of Montreal regularly order baskets of fresh vegetables and fruits from Lufa Farms. In terms of cost, they do not differ much from their counterparts in stores, but in terms of taste - it's a completely different story. In order to make Canadians' daily diet even more diverse and healthy, farmers recommend visiting the organic apiary Miels d'Anicet, located in Ferme-Neuve in their native Quebec.
- Czech Republic. A once abandoned office building in Prague has found new life. Nová Waltrovka - Metalica offers for rent 24,000 m² of modern office space, 4,300 m² of retail space, a 166-room hotel, and a residential area with 460 apartments. The main stage of the renovation was the roof arrangement. They decided not to plant plants on it, but to install beehives to produce the right honey in the new cozy houses. The first harvest has already been successfully collected. Similar rooftop beekeeping has also been successfully implemented at the Ibis hotel complex in Vienna.
- Netherlands. Farm The DakAkker in Rotterdam, De DakAkker combines everything you have already read about. On the 1,000 m² roof, vegetables, fruits, and edible flowers are grown. Bees are bred and honey is collected, and an experimental area for smart water collection has been set up. The unique feature of De DakAkker is that the farm is outdoors. There are similar projects in the Netherlands, but this one is the largest and most popular. Professionals and amateur volunteers take care of the plants and bees. The founders of the farm warmly welcome guests and offer them to work together. Families are frequent visitors to De DakAkker. Parents from an early age try to instill in their children a love for nature and an understanding of the need to care for the environment.
Caring for nature and paying attention to its inhabitants is becoming increasingly relevant. To demonstrate how harmoniously bees work and how well organized their living space is, British artist Wolfgang Buttress designed " Hive in the royal botanical gardens of Kew, the installation The Hive at Kew Gardens is equipped with a thousand LED lights that light up according to the vibrations of the bees living in the gardens. Inside the 17-meter structure, a specific musical symphony in the key of C is played - the key of the buzzing of bees.
Roofs of Kiev residential complexes
Kyiv developers have not yet managed to adopt European traditions for landscaping farms and beehives on the roof. For now, they have focused their efforts on the comfort of residents. Each project tries to bring something special to attract investors with unique conditions and comfort.
- Royal Tower (37k Saksahanskoho street) with a great garden;
- Tetris Hall (Business street, 1/2) with a pool, relaxation areas, and barbecue.
- Taryan Towers (12 Ioanna Pavla II Street) with a winter garden, artificial lake, walking areas, and a panoramic restaurant;
- Skyline (26A Yevgeniya Konovaltsa Street) with private terraces for gatherings with friends and hosting events;
- Obolon Residences (Obolonskyi Avenue, 26) with a lounge area equipped with a jacuzzi.
- Signature (11a Mechnikov St.) with a park, playground, rock garden, dry fountain, and its own helicopter pad;
- Jack House (Lesi Ukrainki Boulevard, 7-B) with a rooftop pool.