91视频

Rooftop terraces at Portland multifamily developments are becoming more than merely planters and outdoor furniture. Now, as high-end outdoor amenity spaces, they are intended to attract prospective tenants in a competitive market.

鈥淭hese are amenities that renters are looking for and also expecting,鈥� said Steve Shapiro, principal with Portland-based Shapiro Didway. 鈥淒esigners and developers are trying to create these spaces that are very resort-like.鈥�

Shapiro Didway is among Portland-area landscape architecture firms designing ritzy rooftop terraces with features such as fire tables, barbecue grills, outdoor kitchens or wet bars, dog runs, vegetable gardens, movie screens and hot tubs. Terraces, roof gardens and green roofs previously represented ways to meet city stormwater management requirements; now they’re desired by prospective tenants.

鈥淚t’s a high percentage of the work that we do,鈥� Shapiro said. 鈥淚t just makes for a better living environment for everybody.鈥�

Construction of outdoor amenity terraces can be expensive because the process often involves using a crane to lift components. However, they’re often a worthwhile investment, said Steven Koch, a principal with Portland-based Koch Landscape Architecture. Much of the firm’s commercial work involves designing outdoor amenity spaces for apartment buildings. Recent designs include rooftop decks on Mill Creek Residential Trust‘s Sky3 Place under construction in Southwest Portland, and PHK Development‘s Marvel 29 completed recently in St. Johns.

鈥淚t’s more capital outlay for the owners,鈥� Koch said. 鈥淪ome developers are finally realizing their value as marketing tools 鈥� They get their value back because there is an added level of appeal.鈥�

The added cost of building a rooftop terrace is often worth it when the completed development rents out quickly, said Lee Novak, vice president of Las Vegas-based Fore Property Co., which is developing several multifamily projects in Portland. Fore’s Waterline luxury apartments in Northwest Portland, slated to be complete next month, will feature a rooftop deck with a wet bar, an outdoor movie screen and prime views of the Willamette River and Mount Hood, he said.

鈥淚t’s just a really fun space,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t maximizes the location we have. It’s a very nice amenity that prospective residents have commented on and asked about.鈥�

Two other apartment projects the company is developing north of the Waterline and in John’s Landing will also include rooftop terraces. The trend toward offering these outdoor spaces on large-scale apartment developments will likely continue as developers compete for tenants, Novak said.

鈥淚t’s going to become more and more common as people try to differentiate themselves,鈥� he said. 鈥淎ll of the amenities are in a way trying to create a better quality of life for residents. A roof deck is one of those amenities that hits that (mark).鈥�

Challenges for landscape architects and architects designing rooftop terraces include paying careful attention to the weight of soils and plants, and waterproofing against moisture seeping into the level below. The added weight of a terrace is one reason why spaces often are placed on the second story, atop the sturdier concrete ground-story or podium level, instead of over wood-frame upper stories, Koch said.

鈥淲e can’t plant giant sequoias,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here is a need to be cognizant of the weight of larger plants like trees.鈥�

Often, an outdoor amenity space will complement a green roof installed to manage runoff, Shapiro said. This was the case with outdoor amenity space Shapiro Didway designed for Mill Creek Residential Trust’s 1420 Pearl Apartments in the Pearl District. The planned 290-unit, U-shaped building, designed by Portland-based SERA Architects, will have a central courtyard, two roof decks and a 24,000-square-foot eco-roof. The rooftop amenity space will include a fire table, a custom spa and enclosed seating for protection on rainy days.

鈥淭he green roof was for environmental reasons,鈥� Shapiro said. 鈥淭hey have an environmental benefit and they have a visual benefit. These are people’s homes and it’s kind of like their backyards.鈥�

Another advantage of terraces is offering a private outdoor space to apartment tenants living in tight infill developments that can’t accommodate a courtyard, Shapiro said.

鈥淭here’s not enough space to put something on the ground,鈥� he said. 鈥�(A terrace) becomes part of the architecture.鈥�