Landscape Contractor / Design Build Maintain

MAR 2016

LC/DBM provides landscape contractors with Educational, Imaginative and Practical information about their business, their employees, their machines and their projects.

Issue link: https://landscapecontractor.epubxp.com/i/649530

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 39 of 87

The owner of this five-story townhome located in Baltimore's Patapsco River Harbor wanted a roof- top terrace garden and outdoor living area. The space was to include an outdoor kitchen and dining area, vegetable and perennial gardens, and a Moroc- can inspired fountain feature, all overlooking the harbor. TDH Landscaping created a paved rooftop paradise that met the client's needs and, with much ingenuity, followed regulations for weight limits on the roof. The Process After meeting with the client to determine their desires, Nathan Boliek, sales manager for TDH and the designer for this project, considered three fac- tors in designing the rooftop space: first, what the client wanted; second, what the site required; and third, the dwelling itself. For this project, the specif- ic elements to be considered in terms of the site and the dwelling were weight limitations due to being on a roof and the appearance of the building. With these factors in mind, TDH put together a comput- er rendering that included all existing on-site struc- tures. The design was created from there based on the client's desires and the limitations of the space. The rooftop terrace was designed to keep circu - lation open. The perimeter is lined with fiberglass planters that include perennials, trees and shrubs, and a vegetable garden. The outdoor kitchen serves as a border to the roof as well. The fountain feature is a focal point with seating around it to overlook the harbor. Getting the materials up to the roof proved to be the biggest challenge for TDH Landscaping. The townhome is five stories and has only a spiral staircase, so the company elected to not move any- thing inside the house. Instead, they contracted out Coastal Crane Service to lift the materials up to the roof. Using the crane was the primary challenge; the logistics of operating the crane in the neighborhood Above & Inset: TDH Landscaping was called in to create a rooftop terrace for this five- story townhome overlooking the harbor in Baltimore. The 2'x2'x2" concrete pavers were installed using hand tools in a stacked bond pattern on pedestals (inset). One pedestal supports the intersection of four paver corners. There is no joint aggregate between the pavers, allowing water to directly enter the existing drainage system on the roof. The roof is slanted to allow for drainage, but the pavers are level, elevated anywhere from 3" to 5" above the surface of the roof. The homeowner provided their own outdoor furniture. ROOFTOP R O O F T O P Rendezvous By Alli Rael, LC/DBM 40 LC DBM

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Landscape Contractor / Design Build Maintain - MAR 2016