Comments on: Green Roof of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore

By: joebasara

joebasara — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:57:01 +0000

I'm from this school, graduated in 2009. Yes we utilise the roof often. Climbing up, rolling down, for freshmen orientation activities, as a film set for film production, and when it gets dark u'll find lotsa couples spending a romantic evening there. We hold parties there too for birthdays, festive occasions. We weren't involved in the design of the building. "Eco Lawn" isn't used, actually the school's maintenance is rather costly i think. The glass windows often crack and need to be changed regularly, due to accidents like being hit by flying birds or some other reasons. People are hired to trim the grass. There are sprinklers installed too. And yea the air conditioning for the entire building costs a bomb, so it's not left running for 24hrs. Well unfortunately, the students often work there 24hrs, so we bring our own fans at night coz it gets really warm and stuffy with the computers running. Need more industry professionals for this school, got a shortage of professors.

By: Sue l Roof Repairs

Sue l Roof Repairs — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:16:01 +0000

I think that this whole green roof thing is an amazing idea, something that should have been looked at a long time ago, where lots of buildings that do nothing with that part of the building and wasted space can now be utilized.

By: coolio

coolio — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:49:05 +0000

of course people can go up there. theres a staircase at the sides of each curve...plus theres a fence. look closely. AND. the center of the curve isnt hollow. theres like another outside hang out place. so if u fell, ud fall maybe two floors.

By: DDT

DDT — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:08:07 +0000

Yeah it's nice. I hope they used "Eco lawn", which is a special mixture of grasses where you only have to cut it twice a year, because instead of the roots going 3 inches into the ground, they go about 15 - making the green in the grass last longer.

I still think it would've been better to use real plants, as there is less maintenance.

By: kid_icarus

kid_icarus — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:41:35 +0000

that is awesome! i wonder how much it lowers the energy cost, especially in the summer. the roof does have a fence if you look closely, so people can go up there....even more awesome.

By: Sid Morrison

Sid Morrison — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:35:58 +0000

I think it is pretty neat. I have to wonder though... Did the school have its own people involved in the design of the project as well? It looks like this school of art and design at an engineering/technical institute just hired some outside firm to come up with everything. Were their own "experts" involved in the creative process or did they just approve the presented designand sign a big check? My undergraduate institute had a nice school of architecture, yet new buildings on campus were always the work of an outside hired firm. What message did this send to people considering attending the school? My graduate university had a very highly ranked finance program at their school of business, yet the university's endowment portfolio was always (poorly) managed by an outside company. I know the internal people could have done a much better job, but the university didn't trust them. What sort of message does it send when they don't trust their own "experts"? Obviously, projects like these are not a part time jobs and college professors are busy, but I'm willing to bet many of them would be interested in working on a few year "internal sabbatical" such as this to hone their practical knowledge in their fields and show off their own capability. What better advertising would it be for the schools' own related programs?

By: SW

SW — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:24:26 +0000

but how do you mow it?

By: Pol x

Pol x — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:47:27 +0000

The Parliament Building in Canberra (capital of Australia fact fans)is also grassed over so that the citizens of Australia can walk over it and look down on the politicians physically as well as morally.

By: Tunic

Tunic — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 07:42:19 +0000

1) There IS a fence. I can see it.

2) "The roofs (sic) serve as informal gathering spaces"

RTFA.

By: Isabeal

Isabeal — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 07:08:40 +0000

That's very cozy. It's lame if no one can go up there tho.

By: Vako

Vako — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 03:45:52 +0000

Ice-block races !!!

By: VonSkippy

VonSkippy — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 03:41:45 +0000

I hope the windows are golf ball resistant.

By: Louisa

Louisa — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 02:02:30 +0000

Very cool. The kid in me wants to roll down those hills.

By: Ali S.

Ali S. — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:43:03 +0000

I think it would be quite ingenious to put a fence around the top and allow ppl to go up there. It would definitely make the place more accessible and cool.

By: Kraka

Kraka — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:18:19 +0000

Yeah but does it have a sign that says "keep off the grass"???? Oh the irony.......

If not, then they would need to build a fence around the edges so people don't go falling off.

Either way, I'm still laughing.