Category: Thesis
Class: Directed Study
Instructor: Aran Baker
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design is... urban acr es
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Lisa Hammershaimb
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Š 2010 Lisa Hammershaimb All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the author. Written and designed by Lisa Hammershaimb.
Hello
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pr i n t Open Road Slab: Avalanche Basics Consume Communit y
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pr o d u c t Mayhem Brew Thrive Threads
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thesis Urban Acres
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Thank you
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Design is joyful communication—connecting people with ideas, solutions and previously unknown possibilities. Design must be human-centered, fueled by an empathetic understanding of the narratives that shape all of our lives. Design brings delight to the routine aspects of each day. Design reminds us that there is value in imagining, asking hard questions and creating something new. Design is renewal and responsibility—wonder and wild surprise. Design is what gives me life, joy and delight. As a designer, I am committed to creating work that communicates clearly, delights the senses and brings a bit more joy to the world.
o pen road maga zine
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Category: Print
Class: Publication Narratives
Instructor: Lian Ng
o pen road embrace the journey
Explore. Discover. Connect. Motion and freedom are the best ways to keep an open mind and an open heart. audience Mobile men and women who love exploring new landscapes in their Airstream Trailers.
objective I chose to create a lifestyle magazine about Airstream culture because I love Airstreams, the mobile lifestyle and the unique regional cultures that exist all across North America. In Open Road, I hope to inspire people to explore, connect and discover the amazing world that is just outside their door. Each issue of Open Road offers up many places to visit, DIY trailer improvement tips and Airstream owner stories. OPEN ROAD is both the perfect companion for planning trips and the perfect reading material while on the road. Inspired by expansive landscape, Open Road favors photos of majestic views, wide open spaces and Airstreams in nature. Type is streamlined and modern, like the Airstream itself.
typefaces Distro Helvetica Cholla Platelet
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design is... o pen road maga zine
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design is... o pen road maga zine
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Lisa Hammershaimb
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sl ab: Avalanche Basics
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Category: Print
Class: Elements of Type
Instructor: Carolina de Bartolo
sl ab
aval a nche bas ics
Risk. Adrenaline. Excitement. Nothing affirms life like a direct confrontation with the majestic, overwhelming power of nature. audience Rugged men and women of all ages, passionate about winter, snow sports and the wide open spaces of the backcountry.
objective The objective of this project was to take a large quantity of existing information surrounding the topic of survival and remix it—making it more engaging and dynamic. Because I am a wild mountain girl at heart, I chose to remix Bruce Tremper’s classic mountain survival guide, Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain. Inspired by the raw power and shifting, unstable force of a slab-style avalanche, each page is slightly different as the text shifts from top to bottom. The book also includes generous white space, capturing the white-out feel of an avalanche.
typeface Helvetica
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design is... Sl aB: Avalanche Basics
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design is... Sl aB: Avalanche Basics
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consume
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Category: Print
Class: Visual Literacy
Instructor: Julia Brown
consume
Get more. Make more. Be more. We are all consumers and consumer culture is the driving force behind graphic design production. audience Socially conscious men and women willing to examine their lives, ask difficult questions and challenge prevailing culture.
objective The primary objective of this project was to investigate the interface of graphic design and current culture. I chose the issue of consuming and examined just what it means to be a consumer. Through all my research, I found that consuming is both delightful and troubling. We all must consume to live, but with consuming comes responsibility. My design concept revolves around visual noise and quiet calm. Clean layouts with simple text are paired with dense, colorful full-bleed photos. Periodic journal spreads allow the reader to reflect on the topic of each chapter.
typefaces Distro Helvetica
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design is... consume
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design is... consume
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Community
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Category: Print
Class: Visual Communications
Instructor: Hunter Wimmer
community Birth. Growth. Death. What does it mean to be human? How do we identify and define ourselves—are there really any constants in life? audience Thoughtful men and women willing to take a broad perspective on their lives and consider how their personal stories have been shaped by their environments.
objective The primary objective of this project was to conduct in-depth research on a topic and weave the copy and imagery into a book. I have always had a keen interest in the issue of self-identity and self-definition and chose to explore how our communities shape the ways that we define ourselves. During my research, I held several focus groups exploring how people define themselves, how they feel that their communities contribute to their identity, and how their past community interactions have come to shape how they see themselves. My findings were very illuminating and I realized that, for better or worse, we are all shaped by the people and groups with which we surround ourselves. My design was inspired by street plans and geographic grid patterns. These juxtaposed with close-up groups of people interacting capture the internal and external nature of community and identity.
typeface Avenir
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design is... community
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design is... community
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Mayhem Belgian-Style Ale
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Category: Product
Class: Integrated Communications
Instructor: Marc English
b el g ia n -s ty le al e Make merry. Have fun. Be refreshed. Life is way too short not to celebrate and create a little mayhem of your own. audience Adventurous men and women who have a sense of humor and a thirst for something strong.
objective The objective of this project was to create a product inspired by a film director. Being a fan of clever dialogue and crazy plot twists, I chose Woody Allen as my director and drew my inspiration from his comedic crime capers. Mayhem Belgian-Style Ale is stronger than your average beer and consuming is sure to produce dialogue worthy of a Woody Allen film and maybe even some crazy plot twists of your own. My design inspiration came from the urban setting of many of Allen’s films. The fragmented architectural imagery feels dream-like while the offset label placement captures a feeling of spinning around in mild confusion. The bright yellow triangle is a mark of caution and also references the clear beam of light that comes from a street lamp in a dark, urban alley.
typefaces Mayhem Custom Apex Serif Steelfish
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design is... MAYHEM
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Lisa Hammershaimb
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design is... MAYHEM
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Lisa Hammershaimb Class: Integrated Communications
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Thrive
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Category: Product
Class: Visual Literacy
Instructor: Bayou Bennett
Empower life: bring hope. Positive change can indeed come through our daily choices. We have both great power and responsibility. audience Women of all ages who care about ensuring social justice, helping the under-resourced and promoting positive change.
objective The objective of this project was to create an identity for a company that empowers female artisans by providing them a competitive wage for their products. I am an ardent supporter of the fair-trade movement and the idea that consumerism can indeed be used for positive purposes. Thrive provides an elegant solution that affirms the value and humanity of female artisans who often face discrimination and persecution in their homelands. My design inspiration came from plants and soil. In the logo, scrolling, organic shapes grow from a solid base. This growth represents how life flourishes when one gains pride, a new-found sense of self-worth.
typefaces Thrive Custom Myriad Pro
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design is... Thrive
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design is... Thrive
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design is... Thrive
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Lisa Hammershaimb
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Threads
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Category: Product
Class: Experimental Typography
Instructor: Jennifer Scrivner
threads creating spaces, discovering moments
Go. Produce. Repeat. From early morning to late night, life passes in a blur of activity and often lacks quiet space for reflection. audience Contemplative men and women of all ages willing to step out of their hectic routine and reflect on the diverse moments that create life.
objective My main objective was to create something unexpected that would cause viewers to break out of their cycle of busyness, take a deep breath and be more conscious of the moments that make up their lives. My inspiration came from the feeling that I was too busy in my own life and was losing a sense of the transcendent wonder inherent in the everyday. Through intensive journaling for one week, I tracked the emotions I felt and the circumstances I navigated and created a series of scrolls capturing my experience. In creating the scrolls themselves, I wanted to continue the “slow down� theme and create something highly tactile. I printed the scrolls on handmade mulberry paper and rubbed them down with beeswax, giving them a translucent quality reminiscent of stained glass windows. The act of unrolling the scrolls, reading them and putting them together brings awareness and quiet reflection.
typefaces Rough Typewriter Apex Serif
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design is... Threads
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design is... Threads
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design is... Threads
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ur ban acr es
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Category: Thesis
Class: Directed Study
Instructor: Various
urban acres Grow. Transform. Sustain. In a world increasingly detached from nature, we must reimagine overlooked spaces and rediscover what is right above our heads. Nature is essential in our lives. audience Urban-dwelling men and women interested in sustainability, the local food movement, sustainable community development and bringing nature back to the city.
objective A graphic-design MFA thesis explores the intersection of graphic design and real-world issues with an emphasis on how the designer can frame challenges and shape strategy for positive solutions. For my own thesis, I chose to create an educational and inspirational campaign promoting living roofs for urban spaces. My thesis objectives were: to educate urban dwellers about the many benefits of living roofs, to inspire urban dwellers to reconnect with nature by planting living roofs on their own homes, and ultimately to create more healthy urban communities. I accomplished all of these goals through: a living roof resource website, a living roof exhibit, a living roof overview book, a DIY living roof playhouse, and a set of living roof promotional items.
typefaces Klavika Maxime
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design is... urban acr es
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design is... urban acr es
Urban Acres Press Kit The Urban Acres press kit gave an overview of my project and helped me in my quest for donations and sponsorship for the Living Roof exhibit.
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design is... urban acr es
Urban Acres Website The Urban Acres website provides a venue for homeowners to share stories and imagery from their own living roof or urban-garden project. The site also provides living roof and sustainable design resources and a calendar of living roof events.
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design is... urban acr es
Plantable Promotional Postcards Plantable postcards were the first step in promoting the Living Roof exhibit to communities in Chicago.
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design is... urban acr es
Exhibit Invitations Invitations were letterpress printed with three colors on 110# Cover Pearl White Lettra cotton paper. The process, though time-consuming to produce, created an elegant, highly tactile invitation.
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design is... urban acr es
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Lisa Hammershaimb
The Living Roof Exhibit Plants love people...and a great skyline view. Discover the potential for life in overlooked spaces. Discover Urban Acres. audience Chicago-dwellers, and people interested in sustainability, the local food movement, and shrinking their enviromental impact.
objective The main objective of the exhibit was to promote dialogue about the living roof movement and sustainable design in Chicago. By exposing people to the potential of living roofs and providing a personal living roof experience, I inspired people to be more aware of how they might transform their own overlooked spaces, connect with nature and someday construct their own living roof. In designing the exhibit, I created easy-to-read signage with bold, graphic icons. I also used large-scale rooftop photography, video, and living roof plants to showcase the beauty that comes from combining the two extremes of organic nature and urban rigidity.
typefaces Klavika Maxime
b
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design is... urban acr es
Exhibit Handouts Printed on plantable seed paper, the handout gives both an exhibit overview and information about local sustainable design organizations.
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design is... urban acr es
Exhibit Space Plan The exhibit space was designed to take guests on an educational journey using large-scale photos, graphics and real plants. The goal was to create a sensory experience that was both stimulating and engaging while leaving guests with renewed wonder at the beauty, power and diversity in nature. After passing through the street-level space, guests could wander up to the rooftop farm, see the principles they had just learned demonstrated on a real-life living roof, and have their own transformative living roof experience.
exhibit swag
l arge-scale info pods
welcome wall
entry
stairs to roof
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food + drink
Lisa Hammershaimb
stage + video
stage +video
information wall
living roof pl ayhouse living wall
living roof pl ants
high tables
Resources
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design is... urban acr es
Welcome Wall
urban acres Welcome to the Urban Acres exhibit, the graphic design MFA thesis project of Lisa Hammershaimb. Explore the exhibit, learn about the amazing potential in living roofs and be inspired by an Uncommon Ground roof top farm tour.
Guests entering the exhibit are greeted with the Urban Acres logo growing in sedum. This living wall is the first place in the exhibit that guests connect with nature.
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Lisa Hammershaimb
Exhibit Swag
Welcome. Take one. Enjoy.
Guests then pick up information about the exhibit and some sustainable swag, generously donated by local companies.
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design is... urban acr es
Rooftop Info Pod
Intensive Living Roof
Intensive Living Roof
b deeper soil b more expensive to build b heavier weight
growing Growingmedium Medium
b lower slope b can support human activit y b require more maintenance b retain more stormwater b have more diversit y
drainage stones drainage layer waterproof membrane roof structure
Front
Transparent 3D structures explain the difference between an intensive and extensive livng roofs and also show the many layers in each.
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Side
Back
Lisa Hammershaimb
Extensive Living Roof
Extensive Living Roof
growing medium
b shallower soil
drainage stones
b cheaper to build b lighter weight
drainage layer
b can have higher slope
waterproof membrane
b may have limited access
roof structure
b require less maintenance b retain less stormwater b have less diversit y
Front
Side
Back
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design is... urban acr es
Living Roof Profile Info Pod
Chicago City Hall location: Chicago roof type: Semi-Intensive installation date: 2001 size: 20,300 sq. ft. As part of an EPA study and initiative to combat the urban heat island effect and to improve urban air quality, Mayor Richard M. Daley and the City of Chicago constructed a semi-extensive living roof in 2001 on the City Hall building. When compared to an adjacent normal roof, City Hall’s green roof was nearly 100 degrees lower, and contributed to $5,000 in annual energy cost reduction. The City Hall living roof has over 20,000 herbaceous plants installed as plugs of more than 150 varieties including 100 woody shrubs, 40 vines and 2 trees—a Cockspur Hawthorn and Prairie Crabapple. The living roof also has an apiary and produces honey sold each summer at the Chicago Farmstand Market.
Front
Bright 3D structures with large backlit photos highlight well-established living roofs in North America.
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Back
Lisa Hammershaimb
Mountain Equipment Coop location: Toronto roof type: Intensive installation date: 1998 size: 10,000 sq. ft. In 1998 Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) relocated their Toronto Store to King Street West. The store’s 10,000 square foot greenroof lies over large percentage of flat roof over the second floor and is a prairie environment which sustains itself as it would naturally in the countryside, and is a true symbol of MEC’s commitment to environmental sustainability. MEC is a retail cooperative and Canada’s leading supplier of quality outdoor gear, clothing and camping equipment. MEC is renowned for a longstanding focus on social, environmental, and economic sustainability and has installed living roofs on several of their retail locations. The roof is planted with indigenous meadow plants, flowers and grasses that do not require frequent watering. The plants offset C02 generation and the soil helps insulate the building to reduce heating requirements.
Front
Side
Back
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design is... urban acr es
Information Wall
rooftop benefits living roofs Living roofs are roofs that trade shingles for sedum and other native plants. They have many positive benefits and can transform a once overlooked space into a lush urban oasis.
farm benefits
Create Cool
Reduce Runoff
Restore Habitat
rooftop farms roof impact
one square foot removes one ton of carbon monoxid e
four square feet provid e enough oxygen for four people
The main focal wall gives an overview of living roofs and rooftop farms along with several benefits of each.
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A rooftop farm converts a rooftop to a viable growing space and returns food production to the city.
Short Commute
High Nutrition
Nature Connection
Lisa Hammershaimb
Living Wall
living wall Sedum are very hardy plants and are the most common living roof plant. There are many varieties of sedum. Touch and feel their unique spongy texture. (For specific sedum types used, refer to page 4 in your exhibit guide.)
Like the entry, a large living wall provides a connection with nature and showcases many different rooftop plants.
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Stage and Video
Videos showcasing living roofs, rooftop farms and living roof plants play throughout the evening on a large screen.
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Living Roof Playhouse
grow life The living roof playhouse is a vital tool to nur ture the curiosit y and play fulness in children and teach them the value in sustainable design. The lower por tion is a fullyfunctional hideaway while the roof top grows a variet y of sedums, herbs, flowers, and grasses.
hello sedum! Sedum is a spong y plant that loves to live on a roof. Touch and feel the sedum below. How does it feel to you?
explore more Take a coloring page below and fill in the dif ferent things that you would put on your roof. Would there also be animals?
The living roof playhouse corner welcomes kids with sedum to touch, coloring activities to complete and a playhouse to explore.
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design is... urban acr es
Enjoying the Exhibit The Exhibit provided an open venue where people could learn more about sustainable design and living roofs, discuss the Chicago sustainable design community, and be inspired by all the possibilities that exist in urban agriculture and unused rooftop space.
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Rooftop Tour The certified organic rooftop farm is carefully planted out and provides a large portion of the produce used by the restaurant underneath. Two active beehives anchor one corner and have not only been invaluable in pollinating the rooftop plants, but also help in pollinating plants, trees and gardens in the neighborhood.
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The Living Roof Video Watch. Learn. Wonder. Connecting with nature on a living roof always makes for a great story. Meet your upstairs neighbors. audience People at the exhibit and people interested in learning about the North American living roof movement.
objective The main objective of the video was to share the stories behind a few North American living roofs. The video provides interviews with the creators and end-users of the roofs, plant information, construction overview and local community reaction. The video transports viewers to a 6-acre living roof in Canada, a variety of skyscaper living roofs in Atlanta, and a vibrant rooftop farm in Brooklyn. The young North American living roof movement is thriving and every rooftop has a unique story.
typeface Klavika
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design is... urban acr es
“Vancouver Living Roof” 4:20 A single line transforms itself into an urban skyline. After a short pause, plants begin to grow from rooftops. “DISCOVER NATURE” rises from the buildings. Skyline, plants and type then fade as Urban Acres logo appears. Video cuts to Vancouver Convention Center Living Roof. Noted landscape architect Bruce Hemstock tells about the rooftop plants and Canada’s living roof movement.
urban acres the living roof movement
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The Living Roof Book Read. Learn. Savor. The open, productive space needed to transform our cities might be quite literally above our heads. audience People at the exhibit, people new to the living roof movement , and people interested in learning more about living roofs
objective The objective of this book was to create an easy-to-understand overview book on the urban living roof movement. A compilation of writings from top sustainable architects, landscape architects, living roof installers, and living roof homeowners, OPEN SPACE introduces the living roof movement through informative text, rich rooftop photos, and clear information graphics.
typefaces Klavika Maxime
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design is... urban acr es
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The Living Roof Playhouse Play. Imagine. Create. Nothing is better than kids connecting with nature and growing up with plants. audience Creative parents interested in teaching their children about living roofs and sustainable design.
objective The main objective of this project was to creeate a small children’s playhouse to expose kids, and their parents, to sustainable design and living roofs. The playhouse plans include step-by-step, easy to follow instructions. Through the building process, parents learn the basic functions of a living roof. When finished, the playhouse is both a functional place for kids to play and imagine and a beautiful addition to a backyard space.
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why build a
part 1: building the foundation
living roof?
Living roofs are ridiculously cool. They grow plants, they attract birds, they absorb rainwater and use it to grow the aforementioned plants—but besides that, living roofs are poised to be a major player in the field of North American sustainable urban design. Living roofs have been common place in many European countries for decades because they counteract many of the more harmful outcomes of urban expansion (heat island effect, animal habitat destruction, sewer system overload, etc.) but it is only in the last decade or so that living roofs have begun to gain respect in North America. Many cities have begun offering financial incentives to people building living roofs and in turn many homeowners and corporations have begun to realize the numerous benefits in a living roof. Not only do living roofs have amazing environmental benefits, but they also bring green space back to urban spaces and can become personal parks—places of renewal and rest in the midst of hectic urban life. Living roofs are an affirmation that nature and humans can co-exist. A garden city is not a myth and indeed in the face of growing climate change and planetary distress may be our only hope. In choosing to build a living roof on something even as simple as a playhouse, you are joining a movement that has the potential to change the face of cities everywhere. Why can’t rooftops be meadows? Why can’t buildings be more like trees? Why can’t a grassroots movement change the face of urban centers everywhere? At Urban Acres we believe that all this and more is possible. Thank you for choosing to create a living roof playhouse and for seeing the potential that is, quite literally, right above our heads. Our hope is that you too can marvel at the beauty and power of nature that your living roof playhouse brings and consider putting a living roof on your own home.
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1. Clear your space and dig your trench.
living roof benefits
b b b b
Clear an 8 ft. by 10 ft. space for building your playhouse. A flat surface is best. Inside the cleared space, dig 6 inches down so you have a rectangle that is 8 ft. x 10ft. x 6 in. 10 ft.
create cool by reducing the ambient reflected rooftop temperature.
absorb rainwater
8 ft.
by retaining up to 90% of water that falls during rainstorms.
restore habitat
by creating a place for birds and bees to live.
increase nutrition
in edible plants that can be freshly picked when grown on a rooftop.
2. Set your foundation stones. Set your four concrete blocks into the four corners of your cleared space. These will be the foundation for your playhouse.
b b
reduce commute
by removing food deserts from urban spaces.
promote activit y through the building and maintaining of plants and soil.
h h
h h
6 in.
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No worthwhile journey is ever undertaken alone. It’s impossible to become more than you are without the encouragement and constant support of a strong community. Thank you to all of my instructors and my classmates, especially Aran Baker, Carolina de Bartolo, Laura Loper and Jeremy Stout. Your patience, passion and strong commitment to excellence is inspiring. Thanks to the Chicago sustainable design community, especially Helen and Michael Cameron and everyone at the Devon location of Uncommon Ground. My largest graphic design creation to date would not have been possible without all your generosity. Thanks also to my team at Willow for reminding me that no task is impossible with some friendly support and a sense of humor. And last but certainly not least, thank you to my great family for the cheers, endless love, inspirational mountain trips, coffee surprises, and a million other delightful mundane moments. You have shown me that life is best navigated from a place of both deep joy and profound gratitude.
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This book was designed by Lisa Hammershaimb using both Posey, a typeface by Lisa Hammershaimb inspired by her two small puppies, Posey and Bella, and Myriad Pro, a clean humanist sans-serif typeface designed by Robert Slimbach and Carol Twombly. Together, the type combination conveys a bold and graphic yet casual quality. All of the photographs were taken by Chicago photographer, Kyle LaMere, of I Shoot Rockstars (ishootrockstars.com) with the exception of the aerial photograph shown on page 64 which was taken by Portland photographer, Casey Cunningham and the aerial photography on pages 76, 94, and 95 which was taken by Chicago photographer, Zoran Orlic of ZeroStudio (zerostudio.net). This book was bound by A&H Binder y in Broadview, Illinois. Lisa completed her MFA at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco over the course of four years. Her thesis advisors were: Jeremy Stout, Brian Majeski, Marc English, Carolina de Bar tolo, and Aran Baker.
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