The two projects presented here, Mirabilia Towers and Nicaragua, have a few essential characteristics in common, from a landscape design and construction perspective, which become the main reason why they are shown together.
Both of them are high-rise apartment buildings that share a common open ground level with gardens and amenities. These landscaped areas are built as green roof systems, in response to the presence of underground parking which in both cases covers the entire area of the lot.
The landscape project, consequently laid out under certain restrictions and conditions, offers very specific situations that can be equally appreciated in the two sites. On the other hand, the differences of scale and size between the two lots lead to diverse solutions, although part of a same problem.
Mirabilia Towers
This architectural project is made of two 47-story towers, positioned at opposite sides of a central paved path aligned with the main access to the complex. The rest of the space of the lot, shaped as an almost perfect square whose area is 3.276 m2, is completed with recreational and leisure areas. Since the towers are not facing each other but sited on a virtual diagonal, they alternate with open spaces creating a more dynamic relation between buildings and landscape. The first tower, located closer to the main access, faces the swimming pool; both building and pool-deck have the same total width and are aligned on a same axis, thus generating a geometrical and visually consistent layout. Facing the second tower appears the kids’ area and an open meadow. Enclosing the lot as a ring, the outer sides offer sport fields, a café, a mini-putting green and the access promenade which includes the descending ramps to the underground parking.
The entire area of the lot is elevated one meter above the street, following the local Planning Code, and only one level of underground parking is allowed in this city district, because underneath one of the adjoining avenues runs a canalized creek. For this reason, the landscape plan is thought as a continuous large green roof and the planting plan is limited to a few medium-size trees species, shrubs, herbaceous and groundcovers.
The location of trees is limited to certain spots where the soil height is more. In order to achieve this, these areas are softly modeled as approximately 45 cm-tall “beams” underneath which, and as part of the concrete slab structure, another 35 cm of soil complete the necessary height conditions for tree planting. This system is used for two different situations: one, the central path that connects the main access, the access to the two towers and the rear gardens; two, the open meadow in which are placed the kids’ area and playgrounds. In the first case, the trees are planted on both sides of the path, immediately behind a concrete short wall that serves as a bench and also as the support for the 45 cm-tall beam. The chosen trees for this access central path are Robinias, whose pink flowers blossom during spring and summer, creating an attractive picture for a meaningful public space. Underneath the trees, stunning rows of Agapanthus (African lily) complete the scene.
In the kids’ area, Jacaranda trees are planted in a circle around the playground; in this manner, the 45 cm-tall beam and the trees generate a real border that encloses a more protected and intimate area for children.
In addition, the landscape project had to address other two problems: privacy, from the quite noisy adjoining avenue, and scale, in order to generate the largest possible green area between the two towers. Privacy was achieved by planting a thick green screen in front of the lot´s fence, with Nerium Oleander, Feijoas, Phormium (New Zealand flax) and Jasminum (Jasmine). The scale issue was resolved with the implementation of the green roof and the creation of different activities and landscaped areas of diverse sizes and look.
Close to the access area and adjacent to the café and the swimming pool, appears a mini-putting green which is framed by a broad bed of Hemerocallis (Day lilies); this dazzling piece leans on a group of Phormium, whose copper-color leaves creates a deep contrast with the yellow flowers. As a natural background, the large crowns of the Sycamore trees planted in the street are intentionally used as part of the composition. This was a decision made by Cora Burgin, the lead designer, from the very beginning: “We wanted to include the existing street vegetation into the lot, as another visual component”, she says.
Nicaragua
This architectural project is represented by a single 14-storey tower located in the front of the lot, with a U-shaped open ground level that embraces the building and is enclosed by three party walls. The lot is eight times smaller than Mirabilia, covering a total area of 400 m2 and the underground parking occupies the same area, in one level. As part of the same city district, the Planning Code enforces the same conditions and restrictions as in Mirabilia.
In this case, the most important objective was to achieve a subtle visual integration between the different parts that make this relatively small lot. The two legs of the U shaped open space offer, respectively, a passive garden that can be seen from the main lobby of the building and acts as a place to contemplate and walk by, and a service´s area with a barbeque deck and kids ‘area. The last segment of the “U” is entirely occupied by the swimming pool, whose length coincides with the width of the lot.
The passive garden, located on the East, is created as a composition of lawn and gravel, delimited by soft curves, and a thick bed of red flowers that lean on another thick row of bamboos. Here and there, a few Cycas revoluta (Sago palm) dot the space. In the last portion of this garden, in front of the pool, a small paved deck offers a wooden bench and a couple of Ficus planted in individual pots.
The decision of repainting the large white party wall, behind, in a very sober green, helps to minimize what it would´ve been a very contrasting effect with the plants. In this way, the space and its components look more integrated and intimate.
The pool, designed as a linear element, is preceded by a deck and a very tidy-looking lawn area. The geometrical lines of these elements are accompanied by the lamps on the walls, which are placed in pairs. Underneath, and framing the longest side of the pool, a row of Phormium provides a green presence to contrast and complement the water.
The west side of the lot provides services: a very small area with a playground, further from the pool, and some sets of wooden table and chairs covered by a pergola, by the barbeque deck. The west and east wings of the lot are connected by a roofed meeting room where the dwellers can get together or attend private social events.
In response to size and scale issues, this project has no trees; only shrubs and herbaceous.
These two residential projects, where the presence of towers, zone restrictions and underground parking combine to create a quite challenging work, rise as good examples of common gardens where contemplation, recreation, leisure and sports can live together. The solution given by creatively designed extensive-intensive green roofs for large private projects in city lots appears to be more and more frequent and successful. Something to learn from.
MIRABILIA
Date of Completion: 2009
Size: 3276 m2
Green Roof: extensive - intensive
Client: Arqs. Esses - Naistat
Designer: Grupo Landscape - Cora Burgin
Design Team: Mouzo / Lopez / Micou / Burgin
NICARAGUA
Date of Completion: 2009
Size: 400 m2
Green Roof: extensive - intensive
Client: Arqs. Gradel - Kopelioff
Designer: Grupo Landscape / Arq. Cora Burgin
Design Team: Mouzo / Lopez / Micou / Burgin
