What can be the roof of a semi-underground parking with an area of 35,000 km. m, located on a large campus? Not necessarily a gray spot on a satellite map. Practice shows that the roof used can easily turn into a huge sports field.
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT Polytechnic) is one of the oldest universities in Canada, located in the city of Calgary. The history of the educational institution is more than 100 years old, and by the beginning of the 21st century it critically needed a significant expansion, primarily in the issue of car parking. The design problems of the future parking were in the visual “camouflage” of its actual dimensions and the harmonious combination of the new building with the old architectural complex nearby. Bing Thom Architects proposed a solution: to place a football field for student sports teams "SAIT Trojans" on the entire roof of the parking lot.
The roof used is solid benefits
The surface of the sports ground is covered with a wear-resistant lawn. Architects report that now students play there all year round - fortunately, the climate of Alberta allows. The walls of the three-level parking lot were left fully visible only from the east and south sides, and from the side of historical buildings used roof coincides with ground level. This allowed the dominance of the Gothic main campus, a jewel of local architecture, to be preserved.
But that's not all. The design was linked to the landscape by cladding the walls with perforated screens with many thousands of holes that form a characteristic sky pattern on the surface. Perforated metal panels are designed by Bing Thom and a Vancouver-based artist. Such a façade enhances the natural light of the car park by facilitating ventilation.
Nowadays, green roofs in the form of gardens, sports grounds, parks with walking paths, places for playing with children and even walking dogs are at the peak of popularity in dozens of countries. In Russia, operated roofs are professionally installed only by the roofing and landscape company "Tsinko RUS" - a market expert who gives a 10-year guarantee for the entire project. Details and special offers are on the company's website.
text provided by "ZinCo RUS" ("ZinCo")
