Whether it's a rooftop hotel, a garden, a community space, a pool or a concert arena, these innovations prove that a rooftop should never be wasted space.
In highly concentrated urban regions, where backyards, public parks, recreation facilities and other outdoor gathering areas are rare, rooftops are an extremely valuable commodity. With the green movement and the increasing value placed on rapidly disappearing natural space, this idea has come to the attention of the public and of building developers. It's no longer revolutionary to build a sustainable garden or a friendly communal area on top of a condo or apartment building. That's why these ideas take the concept one step further.
These innovations take the idea of rooftop space and utilize it in fresh, impressive ways. For example, a designer's collective in the Netherlands designed a series of rooftop hotel pods that transformed industrial structures into cozy, sustainable micro dwellings.
32 Reclaimed Urban Rooftops
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Smart Modular Microfarms
These Connected Greenhouse Create Rooftop Gardens in Urban Areas
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Concealed Garden Abodes
This Modern Japanese Home Boasts a Hidden Rooftop Garden
30
Landscape-Mimicking Rooftops
The China Pavilion at the Milan Expo 2015 Resembles a Mountain Range
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Rooftop Farming Kits
This Urban Farmers Modular System Helps Anyone Create Their Own Operation
28
Rooftop Cloud Observatory Pods
These Cloud-Like Pods are Actually Outdoor Cooling Devices
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Fish-Fed Rooftop Gardens
This Aquaponic Greenhouse is Located on Top of a Metalworking Shop
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Rooftop Hotel Pods
These Hotel Micro Dwellings Perch On Top of Dutch Urban Structures
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Urbanized Rooftop Farms
This 42,000 Square Foot Rooftop Farm Was Created in New York
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Urban Rooftop Bars
The Balmori Rooftop Bar Offers a Place of Respite and Relaxation in Mexico
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Rooftop Hot Tubbed Resorts
The L’Apogée Courchevel Luxury Ski Resort is Charming and Lu
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Opposite Atmosphere Abodes
Swedish Design Combines Rustic Patios with Classy Modern Interiors
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Department Store Artist Residencies
'Room On a Roof' Sits Atop De Bijenkorf in Amsterdam
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Adventurous Rooftop Furniture
Designer Aine Bunikyte Creates Unique Outdoor Furniture
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Palatial Boutique Hotels
This Cordoba Hotel is Designed to Appear Perpetually Unfinished
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Plant Pot-Inspired Buildings
This Maggie's Centre Building Embraces Plants' Therapeutic Qualities
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Fruitful Rooftop Gardens
Cloud 9 is an Exciting New Philadelphia Urban Farming Initiative
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Wooden Rooftop Beehives
The Vulkan Beehive by Snohetta is Intricate
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Sporty Rooftop Shops
The Nike Miami Store Will Boast an Outdoor Track and Basketball Court
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Swelling Rooftop Churches
The St. Barnabas Church in Sydney Has an Undulating Top Half
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Rooftop Airplane Runways
This Airport Runway Design is Constructed Above the City at Rooftop Level
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Rooftop Running Track Architecture
LYCS Architecture Makes the Most from Limited Space
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Kite-Inspired Roofing
This Conceptual Kite-Covered Museum will Present a Visual Rooftop Display
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Rooftop Garden Headquarters
Kickstarter's New Eco-Friendly Office Features a Green Roof Element
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Staggered Deck Rooftops
Skypark by CASE-REAL Features a Luxurious Lounge Area
8
Mountain Top Buildings
Doctor Zhang Biqing Created an Elaborate Rooftop in Beijing, China
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Urban Rooftop Festivals
A New Rotterdam Festival Aims to Make Rooftops Alternative Social Spaces
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Hybrid Power Arrays
The World's Largest Wind-Solar Array was Installed by Windstream Technologies
5
Cascading Rooftop Architecture
The 333 George Street Development Screams Luxury
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Colorful Rooftop Exhibits
Daniel Buren Has Transformed a Rooftop Into a Mirrored Paradise
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Slatted Rooftop Cabins
The Detached Cabin is Intended For an Athens Rooftop
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Rooftop Lounging Abodes
The Mirage Residence by Kois Associated Architects is Sleek and Modern
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Guest Star Rooftop Performances
Fallon Kicked Off His First Show with a U2 Rooftop Performance
Related Ideas
Deck-Topped Tiny Homes
This Towable Tiny House Has a Rooftop Deck & Novel Bedroom Access
Nest-Inspired Urban Houses
This Vietnamese Dwelling Offers Respite From the Concrete Jungle
Low-Energy Indoor Garden Systems
The 'SproutHub' Indoor Garden Works with 54 Plant Varieties
Minimalist Indoor Gardening Systems
The Conceptual BalconyFarm POT Can Be Set Up Anywhere
Plant-Based Cabin Constructions
Moontower Design Build Creates the Cross Cabin in Austin
National Park-Inspired Tiny Homes
The Backcountry Tiny Homes 'Basecamp' Tiny House Has a Roof Deck
Off-Grid Timber Tiny Homes
The 'Horta' Tiny House Has 107-Square-Feet of Living Space
Plant-Filled Latticed Buildings
Wallflower Architecture + Design Creates the Touching Eden House
Indoor Organic Waste Gardens
The Conceptual BOSCH Eco-Hub by Batuhan Duran is Sustainable
Hydroponic Plant-Growth Ecosystems
The Square Greens Pod is a Compact Device to Cultivate Food
Family-Friendly Camping Van Tents
The CloudCap Camper Van Rooftop Tent Offers Space for Two
Serenely Stilted Houses
This Sustainable Tiny Home is Situated On An Elevated Platform
Garden-Centering Urban Townhouses
This Vietnamese Home's Layout is Arranged Around an Inner Garden
Urban Bottle Sustainable Initiatives
Heineken Presents Fields Green With Grass, Not Glass
Beautified Community Spaces
Sephora Canada's Beauty at The Bentway Revitalizes Outdoor Space
Plant-Based Timber Cabins
Moontower Design Build Has Created the Cross Cabin in Austin
Vineyard-Topped Airport Terminals
The New Plans for Florence Airport Integrate Rooftop Greenery
Soil-Free Garden Systems
The 'Gourmet' Garden Uses a Nutrient-Rich Medium & LED Lighting
Sustainable Airport Terminal Designs
This Lush Green Terminal is Powered By Renewable Energy
Extreme Space-Saving Architecture
A 74-Square-Foot Apartment is Redefining Urban Living
Eco-Friendly Bio-Composite Roof Tiles
Studio SKLIM's Lo-Hi Tech Project with Solar Paneling
Japanese Inn-Inspired Apartments
Intheory Design Creates an Apartment Inspired by Ryokan
Integrated Garden Designs
Ludwig Godefroy Champions "Habitable Gardens" in Mexico
Portable Minimal Smart Planters
A Team of Designers Create the Balconyfarm Planter
Transparent Climate Classrooms
Forma Transforms a Century-old Glasshouse in Copenhagen
Recycled Mini Golf Courses
Lab La Bla Made a Miniature Golf Course with Denim & Wine Corks
Topography-Inspired Furniture Capsules
Zaha Hadid Architects Designs the TOPOS Collection
Mass-Timber Airport Rooftops
ZGF Architects Completes the Portland International Airport Expansion
Vertical Co-Living Neighborhoods
West of West Wins an AIA Competition in San Francisco
Japanese Garden-Inspired Offices
Flooat Designs the Mitsui & Co Office Space in Tokyo
Music Industry Creative Offices
22RE Transforms a Vaulted Factory into a Modern Workspace
Music Festival Bright Pavilions
Re:Right Design Created the Hayes Pavilion for Glastonbury
Energy-Efficient Office Buildings
This Czech Office Complex is Outfitted With Eco-Friendly Designs
Textile-Transformed Parisian Lofts
Isabelle Heilmann Transforms a Workshop to an Open Home
Intricate Food Waste Teahouses
Mitsubishi Jisho Design Uses Food Waste Materials for Its Pavilion
Ocean Plastic Indoor Gardens
Ocean by Ingarden is Made Out of Ocean Plastic Waste
Award-Winning Housing Designs
Hong-En Lin Emphasizes the Importance of Clean Water Access
Bio-Based Compact Housing
Woonpioniers Designs the Sustainable Sprout Ruben & Marjolein House
Solar Rainwater-Storing Roofs
Researchers in the Netherlands are Developing 'Blue-Green Roofs'
Luxury Rooftop Restaurants
W Toronto's SKYLIGHT Features Mediterranean Fare and Lush Interiors
Large Headquarter-Transformed Housing
Studio Egret West Designs Hayes Park Central and South
Swooped Museum Roof Planes
BIG Designs the Waterfront Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art
Modern Office Environments
The MOL Campus Project Was Designed by Architecture Firm Kinzo
Micro-City Housing Nooks
Notan Office Transforms an Industrial Site in Brussels
Garden Oasis Renovated Homes
Sam Crawford Architects Designs the Hidden Garden House
Modernist Reconfigured Belgian Homes
ISM Architecten Adds a New Roof to the BEEV Home
Planted Balcony Home Designs
4site Architects Designs the House of Greens in Bangalore
Striking Glass Canopy Designs
Heatherwick Studio is Redeveloping Olympia in London, United Kingdom
Tech-Rich Gardening Facilities
This Soli Organic Vertical Farm is Expansive and Ultra-Advanced
Garden-Centric Health Centers
A Trio of Studios Designs the Carcavelos Health Complex
Subterranean Courtyard Galleries
Buzz Designs the Hermit Space Yards in Beijing Park
Waste Tarp-Made Public Seating
The Membran Collective Joins the Urban Networks Project
Community-Centric Office Spaces
Shubin Donaldson Architects Designs the Tricon Residential Office
Greenery-Packed Museum Buildings
This Science Museum is Designed Around a Central Park
Hidden Urban Oasis Cottages
Winwood McKenzie Adds an Extension to the Quarry House
Slopped-Base Green Tiled Homes
Bak Gordon Arquitectos Integrates a Home with Surrounding Buildings
Y-Shaped Community Pavilions
Sam Crawford Architects Creates a Red-Roof Pavilion in Sydney
Greenhouse-Topped Residences
Moe Architecten Adds a Greenhouse on Top of the Wooden House
Modern Minimal Concrete Homes
Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados Designs the Copas Home
Rollable Rooftop Cargo Racks
The 'Twistbox' Can Be Rolled Into a Compact Cylinder When Not In Use
Bright Balcony-Defined Apartments
Austin Maynard Architects Designs the Nightingale Village
Multifunctional Circular Housing Blocks
Gensler's EVE Park Design has Integrated EV Parking Towers
Viewing Box Cultural Centers
The Center for Arts & Innovation Hosts Events and Education Spaces
Oasis-Like Urban Hotels
Montalba Architects Renovates the Nobu Hotel in Palo Alto
Bamboo-Clad Residential Homes
i29 Designs the Open Park Villa to Connect with Nature
Sustainable Visitor Pavilions
NU Architectuur Atelier Designs the Green Arc in a Garden
Nature Blending Modern Homes
MODU Designed the Mini Tower One Residence in Brooklyn
Recycling-Centric Waterfront Homes
Measured Architecture Designs the Shor House Project
Perforated Facade Compact Residences
Rahul Pudale Design Creates the Porous Adobe Compact Home
Serene Wooden Garden Pavilions
Byró Architekti Designs the Garden Pavilion in Prague
Cut-Out Structural Narrow Hotels
Kooo Architects Designs the Hotel Rakuragu in Central Tokyo
Hempcrete-Crafted Sustainable Workspaces
Commonbond Architects Designs the Gardenhide Studio
Summer Patio Pop-Ups
The Sol Patio+ Provides a Comfortable Place to Wait for a Table
Rocky Garden-Nestled Serene Pavilions
Temp Designs the 3-to-1 Pavilion in a Rocky Garden
Elevated Treetop Modern Cabins
NAMO Architecture & i29 Architects Create the Buitenverblijf Nest
Self-Cooling Exterior Buildings
Modu Creates the Promenade Building to Control Air Temperature
Elevated Miami Office Spaces
Arcadis' In-House Team Designs a New Office Space in Miami
Floating-Style Classroom Designs
Ennead Architects & Rockwell Group Completes the Bloomberg Center
Barrel-Vaulted Roof Parks
Bear Architects Designs the Zubitegi Park in Spain
Juxtaposing Garden Home Designs
Studio North Designs the Custom Garden Garage in Calgary
Cleverly Designed Micro Apartments
The Cabanon Measure 74 Square Feet with Folding Furniture
Industrial Converted Hotel Lobbies
Colboc Sachet Architects Develops a Lobby at Bacalan Block
Woodland-Inspired Timber Office Spaces
Atelier du Pont Completes the Pavilion Jardins Building
Greenery-Filled Skyscraper Terrarium
ODA Presents a Look at the Terrarium Cheong-Dam Design
Spiralled Roof Horticultural Centers
KPMB Architects Designs the Leaf Building in Winnipeg
Eco-Friendly Refurbished Studios
Workers of Art Presents the WOA Second Home in Kochi
Rock-Climbing Work Spaces
Paris has a Hidden Climbing Gym and Cowork Space Inside a Chapel
Sustainably Designed Mumbai Offices
Sanjay Puri Architects Designs the Office@27 Workspace
Italian Rooftop Restaurants
Public Gardens in Toronto Offers a NYC-Inspired Oasis
Solo Flexible Study Spaces
YounghanChung Architects Designs the Tiny Forest Study Space
Expansive School Bamboo Canopies
CollectiveProject Creates a Canopy at Talaricheruvu Rural School
Historically Rooted Elevated Hotels
The Trilogy Montgomery Hotel Restores a Trio of Buildings
Clover-Style Conference Center Designs
MAD Designs the ZGC International Innovation Center
Cozy Gaden Cabin Retreats
BYRÓ architekti Designs the Garden Pavilion with Wooden Detail
Concrete South Korean Cafes
On Architects Designs the Nonspace Cafe Space in Incheon,
Light-Filled City Center Gardens
ROOM + Design & Build Designs the Secret Garden in Vietnam
Hidden Garden Timber Pavilions
Tikari Works Designs A Room Around a Tree in London
Hotel-Based Garden Terraced Columns
WOHA Designs the Pan Pacific Orchard with Garden Terraces
Park-Inspired Outdoor Fashion Capsules
Parks Project Sets out to Preserve National Parks
Traditional Sustainable School Designs
Heatherwick Studio Showcases Plans for Universidad Ean
Industrial-Inspired Housing Units
Conen Sigl Designs the Westhof Housing Block in Zurich
Net-Positive Energy Botanical Gardens
Olin & Overland Completes the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Reanimated Power Plant Parks
BIG Reimagined a Power Plant from 1950s on Manresa Island
Green-Timber Glad Office Spaces
Oslotre Designs the Lumber 4 on an Industrial Foundation
Minimal Renovated Modern Townhomes
Also Office Joins Colony on the Bed-Stuy Townhouse
Micro Backyard Work Studios
The e-Den Garden Office is Weatherproof for Year-Round Use
Garden-Connecting Melbourne Homes
Splinter Society Renovates and Extends the Gardener's House
London-Based Garden Roofscapes
James Corner Field Operations Designs a Roof Garden in London
Outdoor Plant Communal Spaces
Mattaforma Designs the new Nursery at Public Records
Shaded Modern Outdoor Furniture
mmcité street furniture Designs the UFO Shelter for Outdoors
Billboard-Transformed Tent Shelters
Wunderman Thompson Morocco Creates the Life-Saving Outdoors
Mirrored Panel Tropical Gardens
Research Artistic Design + Architecture Designs the Frame Garden
Urban Green Space Overhauls
Four of London's green spaces will receive a makeover
Urban Natural Expansive Buildings
Atelier Delalande Tabourin Designs Office National des Forêts
Climate-Friendly Waterfront Homes
From 4 to 1 Creates Three Pavilions in Copenhagen
Sustainability-Focused Building Renovations
Climate Group Launches the Renovation Revolution
Village-Luke Charming Hotels
Concrfete Amsterdam Designs the BoTree Hotel in London
Retro Gabled Greenhouse Additions
BHY Arquitectos Renovates the Casa Wiz in Buenos Aires
Retro Apartment Transformations
Space is around us Designs the Kyano Apartment in Greece
Plant-Aiding Hydroponic Systems
turf is an Energy-Harvesting Conceptual Cultivation System
Botanical Visitor Pavilions
NU Architectuuratelier and Archipelago Create the Green Ark Pavilion
Scenic Rooftop Cocktail Lounges
The UNLISTED Rooftop Offers Views of NYC's Skyline
Industrial Warehouse-Inspired Offices
Carr Designs a New Office Block with Industrial Themes
Expansive Roofs Concrete Homes
Studio MOB Creates a House in the Farm in Coimbatore
Barrel Vault-Topped Metro Stations
KA Architecture Studio Designs the Jahad Metro Plaza
Lantern-Topped Sleek Workshops
Cabinet Designs the Gardeners House in a Park in Geneva
Bamboo Screen-Wrapped Restaurants
Long Nguyen Design Creates the Nhà Tú Garden Restaurant
Nature-Connecting Design Installations
OMCC and Diez Office Unveil the Vert Installation
Nature-Inspired Design Objects
Students at Tecnológico de Monterrey Design the Plant-Based Series
Hybrid London Townhouse Office
SPPARC Updates a New Office Space with a Unique Roof Design
Dynamic Mall Rooftop Extensions
Society Particular Completes the Skybowl Roof Extension
Tree-Inspired Panelled Workspaces
Hood Design Studio Creates a New Campus in Silicon Valley
Educational Storage Shed Designs
Invisible Studio and Mole Architects Form the Big Roof
Multifamily Canadian Housing Developments
MODA Unveils the GROW Project with Roof Gardens
Repurposed Imperfection-Embraced Buildings
Civic Architects & VDNVP Elevate a Series of Workspaces
Futuristic Factory Rooftop Extensions
MAD Transforms a Factory with the Ark Extension in China
Metal Tower Residential Expansions
Modu Unveils the Mini Tower One Expansion in Brooklyn
Terraced Naturally Lit Homes
Unknown Works Designs the Bright Oasis Home in London
Large Passive House Buildings
Handel Architects Builds the Harmony Commons at UofT
Glamorous Urban Tranquil Villas
GROWTO DESIGN Presents the Natural Villa in China