Rooftop and Podium Gardens
fjclandscape designs gardens on roofs, podiums and terraces, bringing landscape to places where ground is scarce. These spaces add amenity for residents, workers and students, and green the city above street level.
Our work includes the layered rooftop garden above the heritage-listed David Jones building at 111 Castlereagh Street, the garden terraces at UTS Central, the roof terraces at Ovo and the terraces at SubStation No. 164.
111 Castlereagh Street
A layered rooftop landscape forms a green oasis above the heritage-listed David Jones building.
UTS Central Rooftop Terrace
Garden courtyard terraces follow the facade and extend student life outdoors.
Our Approach
Structure and Soil
Soil depths, loads and drainage are coordinated with engineers from the start, so planting can thrive on structure. Waterproofing, root barriers and irrigation are resolved together with the building design, so rooftop and podium gardens remain healthy, safe and easy to maintain for the long life of the building beneath them.
Planting for Exposure
Species are chosen for wind, sun and shade at height, with irrigation and maintenance planned from the outset. Hardy native and drought-tolerant plants suit exposed conditions, while layered planting provides shelter for people and habitat for birds and insects, helping each garden establish quickly and mature well.
Spaces for Use
Paths, seating and lawns create places to gather, from communal terraces to quiet corners. Rooftop and podium gardens extend the usable space of a building, giving residents, workers and visitors somewhere to eat, exercise, meet or simply enjoy the view, and adding outdoor amenity on dense urban sites.
Heritage Context
On heritage buildings, new gardens sit lightly, as above the David Jones building at 111 Castlereagh Street. Planting, structure and parapets are carefully set back and scaled, so rooftop landscapes add amenity for residents without competing with the historic architecture or altering its presence from the street below.
Greener Cities
Rooftop planting adds canopy, habitat and cooling to dense centres. Green roofs reduce the heat island effect, slow stormwater runoff and improve air quality, while connected gardens across rooftops create corridors for pollinators and birds, bringing nature back into parts of the city where ground-level space is scarce.
Integrated Design
Gardens are designed with the building, so structure, services and landscape work as one. Landscape architects work alongside our architects and engineers from the first concepts, so loads, drainage, access and planting are resolved early, avoiding costly changes later and producing gardens that feel part of the architecture.
For further information about our rooftop and podium garden capability, please enquire by email. You can also explore fjclandscape and our selected landscape projects.