24th May2010

Chicken Cube Ecoroof

by Jason King

It’s been a bit less than a year since we planted the ecoroof on the Chicken Cube, and it has burst with a flowery showing of color in the past few weeks.  The announcement that the coop will be featured on this years Tour de Coops (Saturday, July 24) was an added bonus as the roof is looking great. And we have plenty of time to finish the run and reconfiguration of the nest box in the next couple of months – if it will ever stop raining on the weekends.  (All Photos Copyright (c) Jason King, 2010 – TERRA.fluxus LLC)


We literally didn’t do any maintenance on this over the past year – a spritz of water a few times in August, and some weeding a few weeks ago, along with filling in some holes with cuttings and a few new additions.  I thought it was time to look a bit closer at how the roof had fared over the year, and see some of the specific elements at work in the plant palette.  For starters, there is still a ton of diversity, with great groupings of succulents punctuated with some perennial color.  There were a few species that didn’t make it, but the overall mosaic seems to have filled in.  About a month ago I grabbed a chive that was left from the garden – and ‘bombed’ the roof – tossing it up there with it’s root ball – and in a few weeks it had rooted into the growing media (the chive closest to the right).

The stars right now are definitely the Chives (Allium) and the Dianthus, which are both in full bloom and visible from the ground level.  A closeup of a few species shows some subtle washes of color – such as the aforementioned chives, as well as the Lewisia (a replacement as the one planted last year didn’t make it).

Another interesting condition with a closer look was some of the flowering with these new blossoms sprouting yellow and red from the Sedum kamtschaticum variegatum.

And the textures, with the addition of the Sempervivum in both red (above) and green (below), providing a noted contrast to the Sedums and perennials.

One interesting aspect was the microclimate that exists due to the surrounding vegetation – and it’s influence on the species.  The Sedum ruprestre shows a marked difference in color from full sun (top photo) with significant yellow bleeding into the foliage.  This is in contrast to the area on the top portion of the roof shaded from most of the direct sun (bottom photo) where it retains much more of a glossy green coloring.  These subtle differences and having the roof literally right out the back door make it a laboratory for monitoring plant health and possible species to try on larger projects.

Much like an Pearl-district Condo, the residents care little for the beauty of the ecoroof they can’t see or interact with… but I’m sure they appreciate it in their own way.

Category : ecoroofs, environmental, landscape, planting, portland, sustainability, tours, vegitecture
1 Comm
06th May2010

Ecoroof Graphics

by Jason King

A recent TERRA.fluxus project was to create a series of promotional graphics for local landscape contractor Teufel Landscape emphasizing their work on Ecoroof projects throughout the Pacific Northwest.  Utilizing a range of rooftop project imagery organized in alternating panels of text and photos, these 18 x 48″ poster sized images incorporate a variety projects along with some key statistics showing the overall breadth of project involvement for the company.  Scope also included a short powerpoint ‘commercial’ giving an added dimension to the companies marketing opportunities.

images courtesy Teufel Landscape - Oregon LCB #5133

Category : graphics, images, landscape, portland, roof gardens, seattle, vegitecture
0 Comm
26th Apr2010

Hope Garden Planting

by Jason King

A great turnout on Earth Day for the Hope Garden Planting, where the beds were prepped and the plantings were installed for the 2010 growing season.  Special thanks to project partners Teufel Landscape and Tremco Roofing for their support, and always, the Multnomah County Green Team to mobilize and continue to maintain the roof throughout the season.  Read more about the day from Sandy McCollum and see a slideshow of the planting at the Examiner.

Earlier in the day, the weeding was completed and beds were laid out for installation.

With an army of volunteers the planting was completed in less than half an hour.

The new addition of the herb garden going in the ground.

Category : agriculture, community, ecoroofs, food, installations, landscape, planting, portland, projects, roof gardens, sustainability, vegitecture
0 Comm
21st Apr2010

Earth Day Hope Garden Planting

by Jason King

Tomorrow, April 22, in celebration of Earth Day 2010, TERRA.fluxus is proud to help out with the planting for the Hope Garden on the rooftop of the Multnomah County Building.   Read more about last year’s installation and see the full list of community partners here.

The garden design takes into account feedback on last years plantings for food that is appropriate for donation to the food bank.  We are also including an expansion of the rooftop herb garden within the ecoroof areas to provide year round productivity for a variety of vegetables and herbs.  This year the event is part of the County’s Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day activities conducted by the Multnomah County Green Team and features many events locally in addition to the planting of the Hope Garden.    The following message from Commissioner Judy Shiprack summarizes the days events.

“This year marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day events around the world, and I would like to extend a warm invitation to attend some of the great activities we have planned to celebrate Earth Day at Multnomah County. These events are a wonderful opportunity to get involved with a few of Multnomah County’s efforts to be a leader in sustainability. Please join me at the morning Board Briefing to learn more about the Green Team’s accomplishments and later at the 2010 Hope Garden planting party to help grow food for the neediest in our community. April 22nd is also “Take Your Child to Work Day”, so if you have your child with you I encourage you to let them take part in the afternoon Hope Garden planting.

I would like to thank the donors from the community whose resources have made the 2010 Hope Garden project possible: Jason King with TERRA.fluxus LLC, Elizabeth Hart with Tremco Inc., and SuSu Hunniecutt with Teufel Landscape.”

Working for a Sustainable Future,

Commissioner Judy Shiprack

Category : agriculture, community, ecoroofs, food, landscape, planting, portland, projects, sustainability, vegitecture
1 Comm
21st Apr2010

In Progress: Reliance Roof Terrace

by Jason King

A project currently underway is the Rooftop Terrace for the Reliance Apartments on Southeast 31st & Division in Portland.  The project is located on the site of the old Reliable Auto Parts building, and is being rehabilitated by the fantastic Urban Development Partners (UD+P) along with Kava Massih Architects from Berkeley California.  A shot of what will be a beautiful addition to the neighborhood:

The ground level landscaping was completed by Jason King while at GreenWorks, and the project’s roof terrace has been continued by TERRA.fluxus to provide a usable open space and entries for the residential units.  The entry stair extends up to 12 rooftop apartments with private deck areas.

The roof needed to be lightweight, as well as have all elements rest on the decking, so all elements are prefabricated or off-the-shelf elements that will be arranged to create the variety of spaces.  To break up the ground-plane, a variety of reclaimed plastic decking colors and textures are combined to prevent the space from looking monotonous, as well as to delineate private and public spaces.

A few shots of the spaces from the model show the use of simple materials palette consisting of galvanized stock tanks, metal planters, and cedar fences and screens.  The planters provide support for the vertical elements, requiring minimal penetration through the decking, while separating spaces visually.  Vertical materials like bamboo accentuate the screening and create a lush environment.

The challenge, in addition to the constraint of the ground plan was to create usable spaces for residents in a somewhat small environment.  Keeping elements vertical allowed spatial arrangement while maximizing usable spaces.  Most of these vertical elements are somewhat permeable, as solid walls would make spaces feel smaller and more compartmentalized.   The vertical screen panels separating units are located within planters and will act as living screens when planted with vines and add a lush character to the roof decks while reflecting seasonal change.

Another interesting feature was custom benches that were created from wood salvaged during construction of another UD+P project down the street at 38th & Division.  A sequoia was removed for construction, and the wood is being milled into thick slabs to act as benches for the roof.  A mockup of the bench with galvanized metal frames is found below.  This attention to detail and commitment to reuse of materials is evident of the ideology of UD+P, and is reflected in the range of sustainable (and beautiful) features throughout the site.

Category : ecoroofs, graphics, images, landscape, planting, portland, projects, roof gardens, vegitecture
0 Comm
12th Apr2010

In Progress: Van Ness MOB Green Roof

by Jason King

One of the most exciting projects currently on the boards at TERRA.fluxus is the green roof design for the Van Ness Medical Office Building in Downtown San Francisco.   This 10,000 square foot project includes multiple levels of green roof meant for visual access from within the building.  Jason King initiated project (originally through GreenWorks) and has continued with TERRA.fluxus through a collaboration with roofing manufacturer Tremco and contractor Lawson Roofing to facilitate the design consultation with owner and design team including architects at Boulder Associates, who have been the main collaborators on the design to date.

The concept plan below shows the three roof levels, including the 2nd, 6th, and 7th floor roofs, all of which contribute the overall aesthetics as well as to provide stormwater management to meet local stormwater guidelines and contribute to multiple LEED credits.

It was determined that a 10″ deep profile was necessary to provide adequate stormwater management.  Instead of a monolithic section of soil and plans, it made sense to create undulating berms.  These created a number of micro-habitats for different plant species, while also encouraging rooftop fauna in the form of birds, insects, and other desired species whose habitats have been displaced through urbanization.  In addition, these waves improve the overall conceptual idea of waves of vegetation that would move in the breezes and break up large expanses of roof – providing a variety of interesting views from all angles.

Early on, a number of precedent images were presented to outline the concept and develop consensus for the group.  The following shows a particular study in the landform manipulation, which became a significant point of departure for the design concept for roofs on the 2nd and 6th Floor.

The plant palette consists of a combination of California native species, including grasses, perennials, succulants, and other species adapted for low-maintenance and minimal water usage per LEED requirements.   The 7th floor roof included a deeper planter that accommodated larger woody materials including shrubs and small ornamental native trees.

A number of sketchup images also provided design studies and allowed for the design concept to be coordinated with perimeter pavers, rooftop mechanical equipment, drains, and other elements to ensure the interface between building and vegetation was seamless.

The concept of design-build for green roof projects offers many benefits, particularly in green roof projects.  The interrelationship of landscape and building in this case required close coordination between contractors and designers to ensure compatibility with a number of project goals.  Decisions made could impact LEED credits, waterproofing membrane integrity, or constructability – this a close group effort was necessary to make sure myriad issues were resolved.

The project is progressing through Construction Documentation phase, and is slated for construction beginning in 2011, with green roof scheduled to be installed in 2012.  This addition to the skyline of San Francisco, and the growing collection of Bay-area green roofs will be an amenity from adjacent buildings, MOB users, and area wildlife for years to come.

[project credits Jason King, design work completed while working at GreenWorks PC]

Category : ecoroofs, heathcare, images, landscape, planting, projects, roof gardens, san francisco, vegitecture
2 Comm
29th Mar2010

Ecoroofs + Habitat

by Jason King

I was pleased to see the wonderful follow-up coverage of the Ecoroofs 2010 tour by Linda Velasquez on Sky Gardens, her companion blog to the densely informative Greenroofs.com website.

Linda was kind enough to give a shout-out to TERRA.fluxus, mentioning some of my previous work on area ecoroofs – including the Multnomah County Building (Amy Joslin Ecoroof) seen below – that I was fortunate enough to work on while at Macdonald Environmental Planning (seen in full bloom below).  This roof is also the location of the Hope Garden – a transformation of a portion of rooftop planter for urban agriculture implemented in 2009 and continued in 2010.

While not exclusively designed for habitat, I’ll posit that the Multnomah County Roof is still one of the better examples of diversity for local rooftop habitat solutions in our region, through incorporation of a diverse range of plantings, large area, places of refuge, and a specifically broad and non-monocultural species composition that provides benefits for pollinators, birds, and other species.

On that note, for those in the area, don’t miss Dusty Gedge as he discussed habitat on rooftops tomorrow (March 30th).  Details below.

Dusty Gedge–World Renowned Expert on Creating Habitat on Urban Rooftops

Come learn how we can turn the rooftops of our city into wildlife habitat. Dusty Gedge is the founder of www.livingroofs.org and president of the European Green Roof Association. He is a recognized worldwide authority on building green roofs to promote biodiversity. He is co author of ‘Building Greener’ the first comprehensive guidance on green roofs and green walls in the UK, soon to be published by the Construction Information and Research Association [www.ciria.org.uk] He is a consultant for the green roof consultancy [www.greenroofconsultancy.com] and a professional naturalist/ecologist/ornithologist specializing in brownfields. He has been published in scientific journals at both a national and international level. Dusty’s talk will focus on how we can convert our rooftops, big and small, into living landscapes.

Cost: $8 for members of Audubon Society of Portland, Oregon Zoo, World Forestry Center, students, and seniors; $10 for all others.

Location: Oregon Zoo

Time: 7pm

For more information, go to www.oregonzoo.org/Education/adults/adults_lecture.htm

Category : announcements, community, ecoroofs, environmental, portland, press, projects, roof gardens, tours, vegitecture
0 Comm
17th Mar2010

Ecoroofs 2010

by Jason King

March is officially ecoroof month in the City of Portland.  And if you are a fan of vegitecture, the Left Bank Annex was the place to be the past weekend as it was transformed into the mecca of all things ecoroof.  Ecoroof Portland 2010 was a two-day event to showcase the region’s activities and vendors in the ecoroof industry.  “Activities will include Portland ecoroof tours, live ecoroof installations, presentations by local and national experts, and workshops to help you get started on your own project.”

I participated by co-leading a tour with Tom Liptan, ecoroof guru and landscape architect from the Bureau of Environmental Services.   Assisted by the capable and sustainable transportation of EcoShuttle we took a group of 15 folks around northeast Portland to see a number of roofs including public, multi-family, and single-family residential projects.  For full disclosure, I wasn’t involved in the design of any of these roofs – but happy to be a vocal cheerleader for ecoroofs region-wide.

Click links for full project credits – all photos © Jason A. King, 2010.

Metro Headquarters Ecoroof

K4 Court

Yakuza Lounge

O’Brien Residence

Omey Residence

Category : community, ecoroofs, images, portland, tours, vegitecture
1 Comm
26th Feb2010

Planting Time for 2010

by Jason King

As spring approaches, it’s getting close to garden season, and that means year two of the Multnomah County Hope Garden, a demonstration of rooftop agriculture installed in 2009 – which will include the rooftop and urban agriculture experience of TERRA.fluxus for developing plans for 2010 garden installations.

Jason King was the project manager and coordinator of this multidisciplinary effort while at GreenWorks, leading a team that included Teufel Landscape, Tremco Roofing, Anderson Roofing, Phillips Soil Products, Portland Nursery, Territorial Seed Co., HD Fowler, Oregon Wire Products, Parr Lumber,  and many other volunteers and contributors to make this project a reality.

To generate interest from contributors, a rendering of the project was generated (above) showing the diversity of plantings for the small space (approximately 200 sf).   The project was initially implemented during June, so there was some catching up to get things going during the height of summer.  See more photos of the previous site and the construction here.  As those who garden in the Pacific Northwest know, it doesn’t take long for vegetables to thrive in the moist heat of June.  The planters were deepened to around 16 inches, and soil was amended with some additional organic matter while still maintaining light rooftop tolerances.  The skyline of downtown Portland across the river is seen in the background.

Even in shallow soils, the overall productivity of the garden is evident in the following pictures taken in August, including a large stand of sweet corn, squash, and artichokes.

A harvest celebration was conducted in August to glean the first major bounty, and was attended by one of the champions of the project, Commissioner Judy Shiprack, along with Commissioner Jeff Cogen and Kat West from the Multnomah County Sustainability Program.

The 200 sf garden is about half the size of a typical community garden plot, so gave an indication of what level of productivity could be expected through small-scale gardening.  Using dense planting and vertical trelllises, the Hope Garden produced over 750 pounds of vegetables that were donated to the Oregon Food Bank through their Plant a Row program – going to local program Loaves & Fishes, which aims to connect homeless and poor families with surplus fresh vegetables from gardens.  Every year, thousands of pounds of vegetables and fruits are used to increase food security in our region.

To meet the upcoming goals for 2010, TERRA.fluxus is working with Multnomah County’s Green Team, who is charged with maintenance of the garden throughout the growing season, is to incorporate some additional perennial plantings such as berries, dwarf fruit trees, and other species to provide more seasonal structure, while maintaining areas for productivity using a range of annual plantings.

Due to the small size of the garden and the extensive productivity of the temperate climate, a planting plan for Spring, Summer, and Fall will be implemented, as well as plans for overwintering of a number of plants along with winter mulching.  Look forward to more pics of year two of this project.

(project credits: GreenWorks PC – photos + images by Jason King)

Category : agriculture, community, food, landscape, portland, projects, roof gardens, vegitecture
3 Comm
Pages:«1234567
« Previous Page