Design Feature
Moffett Place High Garden’s rooftop deck.
Architect brings playground-fun
to the rooftop of a carpark
DES A+E completes the Moffett Place High Garden, a two-acre rooftop park
in the heart of Silicon Valley (US).
WHAT WOULD ordinarily be an underutilised parking roof-deck, was transformed
into a green oasis by DES Architects +
Engineers (DES A+E). Instead of 250 parking
spots, the roof-deck now has two-acres of
greenspace. The park is one of the central
amenities to the Moffett Place campus, which
was recently leased to Google in its entirety.
The campus is the second largest office project
under construction in Silicon Valley.
Covering the top of a two-level parking
structure, the High Garden is a departure
from typical rooftop gardens in that it
provides recreation opportunities for up
to 650 users. It integrates active uses with
basketball and volleyball courts for team
sports. Passive uses include a community
vegetable garden and a meditation garden
complete with meandering rows of bamboo.
Whether playing an afternoon pick-up game,
walking with a co-worker, or meeting outside
amongst the trees, the design intends for
visitors to use the park.
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Outdoor meeting place.
An elliptical running track loops around
the park’s perimeter doubling as the main
means of circulation and usable fitness space.
With visitors raised 30 feet in the air, the path
draws people towards the roof ’s edge and
showcases the views of the adjacent preserved
heritage trees and the Santa Cruz Mountains
off in the distance. Branching off from the
running track, a raised walking deck bends in
towards the park’s centre and leads visitors to
a sequence of experiential settings including
a putting green, volleyball court, and a large
greenspace.
Walking track & putting green.
The High Garden introduces a healthier,
greener landscape model for corporate
campuses as it provides a new place for
people to connect with one another and the
environment.
Since the concept