Children's Rooftop Garden

This garden was created for a childcare centre in the heart of downtown, where outdoor space was limited to concrete terraces and many children had little access to natural environments beyond the city.

The goal was not to recreate a park or forest, but to bring elements of the natural world into a place where children could encounter them daily. Using driftwood, stone, soil, and living plants, the garden was designed as a space for movement, curiosity, and hands-on learning. A bean trellis tipi, a driftwood bridge crossing a stone-lined “river,” climbing stumps set in woodchips, and flexible raised beds on wheels allow the space to adapt to changing needs while remaining rooted in natural materials.

Edible and native plantings were integrated throughout, including fruit trees, berries, vegetables, and herbs, offering opportunities for tasting, tending, and noticing seasonal change. Seating, a sandbox, and sheltered areas support both active play and quieter moments of observation.

All materials were transported by trolley and elevator to the eleventh floor and assembled carefully on site. The result is a living garden in an unlikely place, offering children daily contact with soil, plants, and natural textures. It demonstrates how even in dense urban settings, landscapes can be shaped to restore relationship with the living world and expand what is possible within limited space.