For certain building designs that may not be suitable for installing an accessible green roof, Roofscapes develops alternative greening solutions to provide the similar ecosystem benefits of urban vegetation, regardless of the roof geometries or loadbearing capacity.

Designed to be the most versatile solution, these thermal awnings protect your roof or facades from intense heat by blocking solar radiation. The rest of the year, the shades are retracted and therefore remain largely invisible. This architectural solution is particularly well-suited for buildings with complex geometries or low load-bearing capacity. Installation does not require any special structural reinforcements and can be carried out without the need for scaffolding.

When the architectural context allows, particularly on buildings with flat roofs, the creation of an accessible, green rooftop space can be combined with a photovoltaic canopy, which both provides shade for the plants and users and ensures local energy production. This strategy is being developed as part of the European research program Driving Urban Transition.

To meet the growing need for outdoor spaces in cities, Roofscapes is developing a balcony system that hangs from existing building facades. This tactical architectural strategy transforms the domestic experience while remaining a relatively minor undertaking for building owners.

With the continued aim of providing shade, vegetation, and new outdoor spaces at a residential scale, Roofscapes has developed a strategy for climate adaptation of facades by adding an extra layer consisting of a vegetated wooden matrix that protects the building from solar radiation and creates new accessible surfaces. In the European cities, this system is particularly well-suited for the renovation of courtyard-facing facades, away from the street, as well as for multi-unit housing developments on the outskirts of the city center.

Developed as part of a research and development partnership with the City of Paris, this accessible green roof provides shade for your roof and protects it from solar radiation without replacing the existing roofing material (zinc, steel, tiles, etc.), all while creating a new, accessible, green space. This system, which is supported by the building’s load-bearing walls, is designed to adapt to a wide range of existing building configurations.