JB Hardy

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Roof Deck on East 22nd St.

An outdoor room on the 8th floor in Manhattan.

  1. Concept Design

    A schematic showing usage zones of the space. This appx. 1300-sf roof deck is located on the 8th floor of a building on East 22nd Street in Manhattan, directly above the 7th-floor residence. To the East is an 8-story residential building and to the West is a 7-story residential building followed by an 11-story building. To the North is a 6-story residential building, followed by a 15-story residential building, from which there is a clear view of this roof. There are no buildings taller than 8 stories for several blocks to the South. Winter wind will come from the Northeast, though it is somewhat protected by taller buildings. Summer breezes could be gusty from the unobstructed South.

  2. Sun-Shade Analysis

    To get an idea of the extremes of sun and shade throughout the year, we look at the Vernal Equinox, and Summer & Winter Solstices. In a sun-shade analysis, it was found that from vernal to autumnal equinox, the deck is mostly sunny from 10am to 4pm; at the Summer solstice it is mostly sunny from 8am to 4pm, and does not reach complete shade until after 7pm.

  3. Color Scheme

    The bricks of the building walls are a deep chocolate brown-gray. Doors and stairwells are black. The top of the parapet is gray concrete.

  4. Ideas board

    Canopy and decking ideas. The pergola will have a modern design, either of metal and/or slatted wood and wires or mesh. There will be a trellis of sorts demarcating the lounge from the dining area, and leading up to the pergola.

  5. More Ideas

    Furniture should be wooden or metal, either stainless steel or aluminum, with white weatherproof cushions to prevent fading and keep with the color scheme. There needs to be one or two chaise lounges on the sun deck, and some wide couches in the lounge. A rectangular dining table that seats eight with benches and/or chairs will fill out the dining area, as will a metal grill.

  6. Plant Ideas

    Plant materials must be wind-tolerant, perennial, and provide harmonic visual interest with the surroundings. In keeping with the color scheme, white flowers will predominate, with flashes of color here and there from specimen plants.

  7. Site Plan

    An exposed roof eighty feet up in the air along the wind tunnels of Manhattan’s streets and only partially sheltered from the elements can be a fairly harsh environment. The beating sun, gusty wind, driving rain, snow, and hail could make the space feel more like a mountaintop than a rooftop garden. To build an enjoyable human environment in such a place, we take inspiration from the ancient mountaintop and transform it to the contemporary rooftop. Our goal is less to tame the elements than it is to align our design with the sun and the wind in the most seamless, minimal and cost-effective way possible. We also want this new outdoor space, in essence an addition to the apartment itself, to seamlessly align with the feel of the interior below. It must be built to withstand not only everything nature can throw at it, but also to withstand the whims of its inhabitants—present and future—always serving their needs, day-to-day, year-to-year. It is to be modern, yet timeless.

  8. Site Detail

    Two relaxation zones, plan view.

  9. Site Detail

    Easily-accessible sun deck on the southern exposure, plan view.

  10. 3D Sketch

    A 3D sketch of the space, as seen from above on a summer afternoon.

  11. 3D Sketch

    View from within the lounge area, looking toward the dining room.

  12. 3D Sketch

    From within the dining area, looking across the lounge area to the sun deck.

  13. Rendering

    A rendering of the space with plants, grasses, and furniture, looking northeast.