GREEN PALLET PIXEL
The centre of Heerlen is situated between the Geleenbeek and the Caumerbeek. Because of the currently stony city Centre our aim is to add natural value to the city by making a visible ecological connection between the two streams. The rooftops will provide this connection!
Our goal is to make Heerlen’s rooftops as green as possible. To achieve that the solution we provide is a simple, sustainable and flexible design: a Low-budget roof garden. A package every rooftopper can buy at Schunck and can be placed on the roof. In this way the event will spread over the city like a drop of ink.
Roof garden package
The base of our design is a reused wooden pallet! We introduce different kinds of opportunities to transform a pallet into a green garden, a bench, a tiny house, an urban farm or a terrace. The modules can be used in combination or solitary. Everyone can start with 1m2 of garden and together they be-come a widely spread grid over all the rooftops of Heerlen. Combining options creates roof gardens from stamp to park size. A diversity that fits the image of Heerlen. With elements that are cradle tot cradle.
The starting point is given by transforming the 7 roofs from the competition into green roofs with different functions and to make them accessible for the public. Next to the existing entrances we add an elevator, bridges and a large staircase, all made out of pallets!
In addition, residents and businesses can take the initiative and order roof garden packages for their own roof and thus spread the green roof landscape over the centre of Heerlen.
Ecology
The green modules provide an ecological development, a sponge to collect water and a binder of nitrogen. The basic vegetation provided with the modules fits the potential natural vegetation of the surrounding landscape such as rich false oat-grasslands with herbs and composites such as Oxeye Daisy, Brown Knapweed and rough hawksbeard. The grasses on the roofs form a mosaic of herbs and flowery grassland of oat grass. In contrast with the busy city streets the rooftops are a calm place with stunning views.
Hydrology
Water from the rooftops is collected and stored under the streets. This water is used for irrigation, windmills / solar panels pump the water in rooftop water tanks. Water flows through a system of irrigation tubes. The stored water under the streets is also leaking slowly into the surface contributing the natural flow of seepage water at the valley sides. Water could be used in a grey water circuit.
By making this green roof easy to extend we work towards connections on the local landscape scale. Green Pallet Pixel will restore an ecological connection with the surrounding landscape, work to a durable rainwater circulation and provides a calm and enjoyable green counterpart of the city life!
© beelden studiolp en OASE stedenbouw landschap