You may not feel it during the current rainy season, but the planet is seriously getting warmer. You can feel it more in jungle cities like Metro Manila. Known widely as the heat island effect, governments and private organizations around the world are looking for ways to mitigate this. Thanks to green roof technology, many structures across the globe are now building sky gardens on their rooftops not only to address urban heat, but also to help in flood and air quality control.
Here are some of the world’s most interesting sky gardens:
10 Sky Gardens Around the World and Why They are Important
10. Chicago City Hall
Photo from archfoundation.org
On top of the Chicago City Hall are 20,000 shrubs and vines, and two trees. It was really built for the purpose of addressing the heat island effect, perhaps because citizens of the city had some serious heat stroke experiences in 1995.
9. WWF Headquarters
Photo from worldwildlife.org
This list wouldn’t be complete without a representative from this environment group, right? While it looks like World Wildlife Fund’s rooftop could use a little more green, I think this would do its purpose when those clumps have all fully grown.
8. Osaka Office and Retail Building
Photo from osaka-info.jp
Imagine working inside this Namba Parks building. You can buy your groceries after office hours, or shop to your heart’s content during paydays. Heaven on earth? I say, green haven!
7. Philippine Mall
Photo from arquitectonica.com
I bet you haven’t seen SM North EDSA from this vantage point. I believe SM is one of the first, if not the first, commercial space to adopt green roof technology in the country. The one in SM Aura is also fab.
6. Singapore Fast Food
Photo from inscapegreenroof.co.nz
This McDonald’s branch in Jurong Central Park, Singapore looks like a huge mushroom. Although it blends with the rest of the greens in the 80-hectare park of wetland and wildlife, one simply can’t miss those golden arches – especially when hunger calls.
Check out the next page for more sky gardens!
