Greenroofs.com Projects - Minneapolis Central Library

Minneapolis Central Library

Project Name: Minneapolis Central Library
Year: 2005
Owner: City of Minneapolis
Location: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Building Type: Municipal/Government
Type: Extensive
System: Single Source Provider
Size: 19300 sq.ft.
Slope: 1%
Access: Inaccessible, Private
Submitted by: Peter MacDonagh, The Kestrel Design Group

Designers/Manufacturers of Record:
: Peter MacDonagh, The Kestrel Design Group
Landscape Architect (RLA): Nathalie Hallyn, The Kestrel Design Group
Architect: Loren Abraham, AIA, Abraham and Associates
Plant Supplier: Green Roof Plants/Emory Knoll Farms
Plant Installation: Aloha Landscaping
Greenroof System: Henry Company
Architect: Pelli Clark Pelli

Fifth Floor View of the Minneapolis Library Greenroof, 2005

Project overview showing 2 of the 3 greenroofs, mid August, 2006

Flowering herbaceous perennials in mid September, 2005

The Minneapolis Central Library was completed on August 30, 2005 and has three greenroofs. This green roof was designed and installed to meet the principal goal of managing stormwater runoff on-site. Visitors to the library can view one of the green roofs from windows on 2nd floor, and all roofs are visible from surrounding buildings. The green roof planting design concept emphasizes the influence of the Mississippi River on Minneapolis? street grid and building design, and the positive impact of the building?s green roof on the Mississippi River. The flow of the Mississippi River is emulated by waves created across plant palettes of varying, undulating heights, and bloom times.

The Growing Medium Installation; All Photos Courtesy The Kestrel Design Group

Eighteen sedum species, which are traditionally used on European green roofs, were combined with 41 grasses and forbs that are native to Minnesota?s bluff prairies ? a habitat template similar, in many ways, to conditions found on extensive green roofs. The design concept, described above, was successfully implemented with careful species selection and placement. Excess stormwater runoff from the roof deck is collected and stored in cisterns on-site, and used to irrigate the three green roof gardens.

Additional thumbnail photos:

Close Up of a Prickly Pear, 2005; ; All Photos Courtesy The Kestrel Design Group

Visit the Minneapolis Central Library website here. Read: The May 25, 2011 "Green-Roofed Minneapolis Central Library is a Civic Lesson on Eco Design" by Andrew Michler of Inhabitat.com; and the April 5, 2006 article in The Chief Engineer "Green Roofs Top Off The Public Library" here. Learn about the following companies in The Greenroof Directory: Emory Knoll Farms/Green Roof Plants and The Kestrel Design Group .

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