“This garden in the sky provides a community of apartment dwellers with a window on the natural world. A green roof was constructed over a functioning electric-power substation as a visual retreat from urban living. This project represents cutting edge environmental design in the United States. Maintained by the condominium association, the garden combats heat island effect, provides habitat, and captures the changing seasons for residents and freeway-commuters alike.

“Lisa Delplace, ASLA, principal and CEO, Oehme van Sweden & Associates, was the lead designer on this shared garden that transformed an industrial roof into a visual and environmental amenity for the residents of a downtown condominium building in Washington, DC.”