Roof gardens are often controversial because of our climate, high construction costs and difficult maintenance, but the rational versus emotional benefits are hard to put a price on. The opportunity for city dwellers to experience nature outside their apartment window is also invaluable. This is demonstrated by the time-tested roof garden in Purvciems, which has been green since 2009 and proves that a roof garden of high quality, carefully designed and maintained, is capable of lasting for the long term.
The green air garden is designed as a levitating plaform above a car park on the second floor level of the building, accessible only to its residents (90 apartments). The courtyard context avoids the view of huge open car parking areas, so prevalent elsewhere, over the whole courtyard area. The visual image of the 2000m2 intensively landscaped roof terrace is determined by the graphic reflection of the building's colourful volumetric facade, complemented by interior elements of black and white harmony and a simple, elegant and robust choice of plants to keep the space alive in all seasons. The layout is functionally divided into eight spaces or "rooms" for multiple use, where the areas of interest do not overlap and allow for a maximum number of simultaneous users. For mothers with babies, there are the sandpit and the spring swings, for children - the large swings and the fenced mini football field, for families and friends - the central lounge, as well as the large chess and table tennis for more active pursuits, for pensioners - a corner for the wellbeing of war, surrounded by a variety of plantings. Fifteen years into its life, the garden has proved that the green oasis on the roof of the car park is an investment in the future and an added value for the project
