Installing irrigation on a 14th-floor roof terrace comes with challenges. But Town & Gardens had additional obstacles to face, according to Design Director Brendan Sheehan. “The irrigation system had to be retrofitted under an existing porcelain paving system,” he says.
Along with the low-volume drip irrigation system, Town & Gardens installed landscape planters. Certain pavers were lifted without affecting the leveling. From those locations, polypipe was pulled and directed underneath. Beneath the planters, 1/4-inch drip tubing was installed.
A lower terrace provides water for the system, while two zones help combat the elevation change’s impact on water pressure. Rain Bird valves, a Netafim filter and a Hunter controller make up the system’s components.
Although the design intentionally hides the system, the manifold’s location was chosen with maintenance in mind. Town & Gardens continues to maintain the terrace twice a month, except during the winter.
The client asked Town & Gardens to install a roof terrace after years of maintaining the building’s entryway plantings. Photo: Brendan Sheehan, Town and Gardens, Ltd. staffPlanters were installed with appropriate spacing around randomly placed HVAC vents. Photo: Brendan Sheehan, Town and Gardens, Ltd. staffThe design was planned with ongoing asbestos removal that required parts of the terrace to be sectioned off with plywood enclosures. Photo: Brendan Sheehan, Town and Gardens, Ltd. staffDespite careful planning, the landscape installation was halted by plumbing repairs. Photo: Brendan Sheehan, Town and Gardens, Ltd. staffDrainage holes and irrigation and lighting wiring was run through pavers cored using diamond bits. This ensured a neat installation without exposed tubing, and drainage runoff was contained. Photo: Brendan Sheehan, Town and Gardens, Ltd. staffUnforeseen excavations of the deck structure were necessary in the middle of the installation process. Photo: Brendan Sheehan, Town and Gardens, Ltd. staffPhoto: Brendan Sheehan, Town and Gardens, Ltd. staffWith limited soil volume and high environmental exposure, plantings were selected for hardiness, as well as aesthetic considerations. Photo: Brendan Sheehan, Town and Gardens, Ltd. staffThe manifold was located with maintenance and serviceability in mind, and the system was hidden in a purpose-built nondegradable enclosure. Photo: Brendan Sheehan, Town and Gardens, Ltd. staff
