Location: New York City
Company: John Mini Distinctive Landscapes
The contractor, John Mini Distinctive Landscapes, was approached by the owners of this Manhattan building to design its Sky Lounge terrace.
Located in Manhattan’s Union Square district, the building owners sought LEED Gold certification. To achieve the LEED certification, John Mini Distinctive Landscapes aimed to create a sustainable design, alongside plants that could handle a New York winter.
The project presented several challenges for the contractor, mostly stemming from its rooftop location. Because of the height of the building, the terrace received direct sunlight and high wind. To create shade areas, the contractor installed an overhang structure. The overhang also absorbs sunlight to power lighting fixtures underneath it.
One of the most unique additions to the terrace was planters flush to the ground. To ensure the surface remained uniform, the contractor used landscape EPS foam.
John Mini Distinctive Landscapes won a gold award from the National Association of Landscape Professionals Awards of Excellence program for its work on this project.