Aramis and Linda Velazquez joined a city tour in September 2005 led by Nathalie Baumann, Dipl. BioGeografin, and viewed these unique roof lines. Eight separate extensive greenroofs sit atop the Basel University Library, used as the site for Dr. Stephan Brenneisen’s PhD studies on different growing substrate depths and biodiversity. Originally the roofs held a sandy gravel substrate depth of 5 -8 cm, but in 2001 Stephan added 3 cm of top soil to support a higher growing vegetation of herbs, forbs and grasses. One roof still remains with the original depth, and consists of a moss roof, originally a vegetated mat.

Although used in the past for research purposes, at present the roof does not serve as a test greenroof.