The living roof at the California Academy of Sciences is nearly 200,000 square feet that dramatically dips and mounds atop the completely renovated 85-year old building. The building was designed by Italian Architect Renzo Piano. (Nice slideshow here).
Rana Creek Nursery planted the roof with a proprietary system they designed specifically for the building. Called the BioTray, the biodegradable trays are made from tree sap and coconut husks.
A few dozen plants were trialled to see if they could survive on the roof. The Academy of Sciences is in Golden Gate Park, which is subject not only to sun, but also to wind, fog, and salt spray from the nearby ocean. (I spent many cold summer days in that park.) The final planting consists of a blend of annuals and perennials, all natives, including
Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis)
Self Heal (Prunella vulgaris)
Sea Pink (Armeria maritima ssp. californica)
Stonecrop (Sedum spathulifolium)
Tidy Tips (Layia platyglossa)
Goldfield (Lasthenia californica)
Miniature Lupine (Lupinus nanus)
California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
California Plantain (Plantago erecta)
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