A landscaped roof terrace was proposed for the 50,000 SF, 5th floor podium of the JACX, a new office development in Long Island City. The expansive terrace was designed to serve like a corporate campus quad, creating fun and flexible spaces to promote interactions with building’s tenants, many of who would be start-ups, innovators and entrepreneurs using shared workspaces. The design of the terrace would need to provide spaces for socializing, relaxing, dining, working, and to host outdoor performances and events. Several challenging conditions needed to be addressed, including the circulation and programming around the location of building bulkheads, mechanical equipment, and the large roof deck skylight to lower floors, as well as the microclimates created by the building’s upper towers, including high sun exposure, reflectivity, and prevalent winds. Planting schemes were strategically implemented throughout to shape spaces and to address environmental challenges such as tree bosque as wind screens, large canopy trees to create shade, sloping lawns for lounging, a wood arbor to support vines, and raised planters with columnar plants to create some semi-private spaces.

 

An angular and asymmetric design emerged around these parameters to programmatically offer the following defined spaces and features:

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   - Glass Café Pavillion with L-shaped exterior Bar as central gathering space.

   - Hammock Grove with tree bosque for quiet contemplation.

   - Vertical Water Wall providing visual interest and noise mitigation of vehicular              traffic at busy intersection below.

   - Outdoor Conference Rooms semi-enclosed through perimeter, raised planters.

   - Activity Zone with ping-pong tables and terraced seating.