Amherst College
Amherst, MA
Amherst College Science Center
Location
Amherst, MA
Size
4,100 sq. ft.
Project Completion
Summer 2018
LABS WITH A VIEW
The Amherst College Science Center, a STEM building, features a 3rd-floor 4,100 square foot green roof that acts as an education tool for students as well as a stormwater management tool by retaining rainwater and slowing runoff.
Recover worked extensively with Barr & Barr and Roofmeadow to execute the design while honoring the integrity of Hydrotech components throughout the construction process. Recover craned soil media and plants to the roof and installed all green roof components including over 17,000 plugs of sedum. The seamless green roof design, which passes through the curtain wall with interior decorative stone, required painstaking precision in edging alignment and detailing.
When the sedum roof became overrun with weeds such as rabbit's foot clover and black medic during the pandemic, Recover reimagined the space—leveraging the 10”+ soil depth—with a diverse palette of native plants that introduced vibrant textures, colors, and pollinator-friendly species to outcompete weeds and enhance biodiversity. The transformation involved clearing the weeds, adding a mix of plugs, perennials, and seeds, and creating a curved access path that evolved into a meadow-like ground cover. With the new plantings retaining more moisture and shading the soil, irrigation needs have decreased, though occasional watering is necessary during droughts.
From roof to campus, the plantings present an uninterrupted living vista that reflects the seasonal changes of the landscape beyond.
Photo Credit: Pete Ellis
PROJECT INFORMATION
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Amherst College
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Extensive
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Sedum
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Payette
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Roofmeadow
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Barr & Barr
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Recover Green Roofs
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American Hydrotech
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American Hydrotech