Monarchs in Metropolis

Alice Hartley – COOKFOX Architects

In the summer of 2006, COOKFOX Architects decided to set a greener, healthier example with a roof that absorbs stormwater, lowers surface temperature, and benefits both the local ecosystem and the human environment. Having grown rapidly, the firm had recently moved to a new office on Avenue of the Americas at West 20th Street. Located in the 8th floor penthouse of a former upscale department store, in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District, the new space looked onto a sizeable terrace-level rooftop. Though coated in black tar and formally off-limits, the roof held great potential as a platform for promoting urban sustainability.

Read the full report here: Monarchs in Metropolis