Project Title: The New York Times Building Sky Garden Project Location: 620 Eighth Ave, New York, New York Project Type: Roof Garden Project Statement: Un-built, the New York Times Building Sky Garden was designed to become an iconic roof garden, 52-stories above one of New York City’s densest neighborhoods. Informed by microclimatic computer simulations, the roof garden design was calibrated for human comfort and horticultural sustainability. The minimalist design emphasizes a poetic approach inspired by the Hudson River Valley landscape, juxtaposed with the roof’s industrial context. Promoting a restrained, yet strong natural statement that harmonizes with the building’s architectural and mechanical elements, the garden design provides a serene place of respite for tenants while establishing a new urban landmark and beacon of Nature floating in the city skyline.
Project Narrative: PROJECT PURPOSE: Create a sustainable and unique roof top garden design for a financial service business occupying the building’s top floor that capitalizes on the architecture’s transparent qualities and city views while accommodating roof mechanical structures and maintenance service areas.
ROLE: Fulfill the aspirations of client group and the design architect’s concept for an iconic landscape design that enhances the architecture and visibly identifies the building in the urban skyline.
SPECIAL FACTORS: Context: As counterpoint to its dense Times Square neighborhood, symbolic fragments of the Hudson Valley landscape were envisioned for the heart and head of The New York Times’ new headquarters. Visible from the street, the 1.5 million-square-foot glass and steel complex showcases a woodland garden (completed in 2008), while the 24,000 square-foot, sun-drenched Sky Garden atop the tower remains its un-built counterpart.
Analysis: Computer programs were specially developed to predict the effects of design on microclimates. A 3-D computer model of the building and its context was integrated with a solar simulator to identify hourly solar and terrestrial radiation data for typical spring, summer and fall days. Wind tunnel simulation was also used to determine wind screen placement, plant species selections, arrangement and planting preparations to ensure long-term sustainability. Results citing hourly air temperature, wind and air humidity estimates were inputted into a human thermal comfort model. This assessment gave both a spatial and temporal estimation of comfort for the garden spaces.
Site Constraints: The unprecedented challenge of constructing the Sky Garden 52-stories in the air within a finished structure required solving its installation choreography. Seizing cutting edge construction technologies and equipment informed the design and its implementation to satisfy physical and economic parameters and ensure the project’s viability. With varying roof load capacities, weight restrictions determined tree growth zones capable of supporting intensive garden roof assemblies and where lighter and shallower assemblies were required. Adjacency to the 60-feet glass/steel parapet walls and the central dunnage structure housing mechanical equipment with intake/exhaust components defined further horticultural limitations.
Design Innovation: As a symbolic fragment of the Hudson River Valley landscape, the bold simplicity of a minimalist design ethos creates is composed of 5 harmonious plant types within the garden’s 5 primary elements: tree crown, undulating shrubland topographic surface, floating boardwalk, vertical vine screen walls and shade pergola. Scale and Spatial Layering—A floating pergola provides filtered shade from harsh western sun exposure. A certified timber boardwalk hovers over the sculpted landform and controls access and guides one’s spatial experience to evoke serenity as well as be inspired by the breathtaking city’s landscape views.
Seasonal/Temporal Diversity— The trees’ architectural arrangement and meandering composition of ground hugging evergreen and deciduous plants highlight topographic undulations while staging diverse native seasonal displays apparent both from within and the street. Ecological Sustainability— A custom designed horticultural roof assembly marries the garden with the building to ensure low maintenance and long-term sustainability. A custom webbed anchoring system interlinking each tree root ball stabilizes the trees under the most extreme weather conditions calculated. Vegetation Systems— The garden design is organized by a perimeter framework of trees, vertical vine screens and undulating shrub massings. The vine screen’s armature visually filters mechanical dunnage and equipment and establishes a lush garden backdrop. The Scarsen Red Maple frame reinforces the garden’s architectural enclosure, complimented by the dwarf Mugo Pines and Lowbush Blueberries shrub mixture which provide vibrant autumn colors distinct to the northeastern landscape.
At first glance one could mistake the subtle design for that of a simple garden. The intelligence and infrastructure supporting it incorporate scientific research and building and horticultural technological advancements essential to sustaining this Sky Garden. While largely invisible, the complexities of setting the stage for this living sanctuary within an entirely manufactured setting, defines its creation in time.
