9 spectacular living green roofs

April Kennedy April Kennedy
Victoria 1, London, Urban Roof Gardens Urban Roof Gardens Modern terrace
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It's no secret that Singapore is a world leader when it comes to urban greenery. After all, Singapore is known as the 'City in a Garden'! So there's a good chance that most Singaporeans are aware of the gorgeous green roof of the ParkRoyal Hotel or the undulating living roof of NanYang Technological University's School of Art.

Although these buildings are known for their stunning beauty, a living green roof offers more than just a beautiful facade. That extra layer of soil, gravel and plant-life reduces the costs of heating and cooling, provides a friendly environment for local wildlife and filters the rain.

So today, we are going to celebrate some of the most beautiful green roofs we have encountered on homify. There is surely something here that could be adapted to even the most humble little home!

1. A decadent lawn with a view

This resort-style living roof has a curved shape to help with drainage. It also has a fairly fabulous view! It comes to us courtesy of Guz Architects in Singapore. The heavenly palette of greens and blues is perfect for our tropical climate.

2. Traditional Nordic living green roof

While these green roofs may be new, the concept has actually been around for centuries. The Scandinavian countryside is still replete with older-style cabins with roofs like the one seen here. Though we must point out that this one comes from England!

3. Contemporary roof garden

This contemporary roof garden is somewhat similar to the style popular in Singapore at the moment. It possesses a huge variety of vegetation. This creates a lively cacophony of lush life and total abundance.

4. The high-rise garden

This super low maintenance green roof has a fine and lush carpet of grass. There is just a narrow band of pebbles for drainage on the side and it looks super slick. It's perfect for a high-rise apartment complex.

5. A cute little roof garden

This humble little garden shows that a living roof does not have to be glitzy or high end to be totally beautiful. It has a sloping roof that helps with drainage, a pebbled gutter and even a good sized skylight nestled amongst the grass.

6. Resort-style green living

It's impossible to ignore Singaporean architects when it comes to green roof designs. So here's another project by Guz Architects. The natural elements here are in complete harmony; from the turquoise blue of the sea and sky, to the lush foliage that runs all the way up to the roof.

7. A green apartment block

We love this simple Japanese living green roof because it shows ingenuity. The rooftop space here is awkward and rather inaccessible. But it's been made beautiful with a simple grass lawn. With the right support and waterproofing, this kind of set up could be adapted to many urban homes.

8. Japanese family home with a living roof

A ground of family and friends helped construct the green roof of this Japanese family home. It was a true community effort and even the young children of the owners were involved! This is just about the perfect way to teach the young about the importance of caring for our environment.

9. A sloping green roof

This totally contemporary concrete home is surrounded by a garden that simply continues up the sloping walls. This leads to the roof and creates a beautifully lush home that feels like a very private getaway.

For a little more green inspiration, check out The best interior plants for your apartment.

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