Rooftop Landscaping in Minneapolis
This is one of those jobs you dream about! Not to say it was an easy job to conquer, but we did it as a team, and learned a lot along the way as well. This project came to us as a referral from one of suppliers that we buy planters from, Twisted Elements. This homeowner went in looking for something out of the ordinary for his rooftop patio in Minneapolis. He really loved the custom metal designs that saw in their showroom, but needed a landscape company to help conceptualize all the elements and bring it together as one. So, I went to the drawing board to create a functional space on this rather large L-shaped rooftop patio (approx. 500 square feet).
August 2016 is when I met with the client and we discussed what he was looking for. His top priorities were:
1. Shade for certain times of the day
2. Protection from the wind
3. Colorful plant material
4. Seating area for entertaining
5. Lighting
Since the homeowner had been to the Twisted Elements showroom and saw the metal by MetalSmith’s Design, I started sketching some furniture designs and trellis, to bring to their production studio in Bloomington, MN. It was great that they work with designers, like myself, and will custom fabricate really anything that can be built with integrity. My thought when designing the trellis, that they would be for functional, as well as an element of art. I wanted to have removable screens that the client could keep up when it was windy or sunny and remove them with ease when they didn’t need them.
When choosing the planters, we wanted a very durable material that could with stand the harsh Minnesota temperatures and if needed could be moved more easily. We decided to go with 48” long x 18” wide x 36” high bronze planter from Tournesol, call the Wilshire planter. These fiberglass planters are lighter in weight and offer self-watering containers that fit inside, which is great for an area like a rooftop that wouldn’t have access to a water spigot or someone that travels and doesn’t have the ability to water daily. This homeowner needed the self-watering containers because his career involves a lot of traveling and in most cases the containers only need to be filled up once a week.
The Whilshire planters created a few different functions:
1. Privacy
2. Wind Protection
3. Plantings for Added Color
4. Hide the Lighting Wire
The other planter we chose from Tournesol was the Aquarian 48” diameter x 24” high in a royal blue color. We placed these on the narrow, but long area of the roof top deck. It was a great place to add a pop of color and interest since it wasn’t very functional. Inside each of the planters we had a custom metal trellis made for climbing plants to add height.
We installed low voltage lighting to each one of the curved trellis tops for entertaining and safety.
The metal furniture was designed out of steel and clear coated for rust protection. I choose steel for the weight of it since this rooftop can have high winds frequently. The table has a steel base with a travertine table top cut at a curve to soften up the straight lines of the Wilshire planters. For the bench, we found a reclaimed piece for wood for the bench on top of a steel base.
August 2016 is when I met with the client and we discussed what he was looking for. His top priorities were:
1. Shade for certain times of the day
2. Protection from the wind
3. Colorful plant material
4. Seating area for entertaining
5. Lighting
Since the homeowner had been to the Twisted Elements showroom and saw the metal by MetalSmith’s Design, I started sketching some furniture designs and trellis, to bring to their production studio in Bloomington, MN. It was great that they work with designers, like myself, and will custom fabricate really anything that can be built with integrity. My thought when designing the trellis, that they would be for functional, as well as an element of art. I wanted to have removable screens that the client could keep up when it was windy or sunny and remove them with ease when they didn’t need them.
When choosing the planters, we wanted a very durable material that could with stand the harsh Minnesota temperatures and if needed could be moved more easily. We decided to go with 48” long x 18” wide x 36” high bronze planter from Tournesol, call the Wilshire planter. These fiberglass planters are lighter in weight and offer self-watering containers that fit inside, which is great for an area like a rooftop that wouldn’t have access to a water spigot or someone that travels and doesn’t have the ability to water daily. This homeowner needed the self-watering containers because his career involves a lot of traveling and in most cases the containers only need to be filled up once a week.
The Whilshire planters created a few different functions:
1. Privacy
2. Wind Protection
3. Plantings for Added Color
4. Hide the Lighting Wire
The other planter we chose from Tournesol was the Aquarian 48” diameter x 24” high in a royal blue color. We placed these on the narrow, but long area of the roof top deck. It was a great place to add a pop of color and interest since it wasn’t very functional. Inside each of the planters we had a custom metal trellis made for climbing plants to add height.
We installed low voltage lighting to each one of the curved trellis tops for entertaining and safety.
The metal furniture was designed out of steel and clear coated for rust protection. I choose steel for the weight of it since this rooftop can have high winds frequently. The table has a steel base with a travertine table top cut at a curve to soften up the straight lines of the Wilshire planters. For the bench, we found a reclaimed piece for wood for the bench on top of a steel base.
Project Year: 2017
Project Cost: $25,001 - $50,000
Country: United States
Others who worked on this project: Twisted Elements
