Rourkela, Odisha | 2022
Residential Rooftop Garden
Every landscape begins with an idea. But not every idea is accepted immediately.
This rooftop belonged to a family where two generations saw the same space very differently. The father, a respected doctor, believed the rooftop would be more valuable as another room in the future. His son, Chintu, saw something else—a living landscape that could demonstrate how a rooftop garden could reduce heat, improve quality of life and inspire others to embrace greener homes.
Chintu had one clear vision: a 10 × 10 ft. seating space surrounded by shrubs and greenery, where family and friends could gather under the open sky. The design focused on simplicity, with a central tiled seating area enclosed by carefully selected plants that created privacy without overwhelming the space.
The journey, however, was far from easy. During construction, the city was affected by a transport strike, making it almost impossible to procure materials. The lightweight AAC blocks required for the project were unavailable through normal transport. Rather than delaying the work, our partner loaded the AAC blocks into his own Hyundai Creta and personally transported them to the site. It was an unusual sight, but it reflected a belief that has stayed with us ever since—commitment finds a way when excuses cannot.
As the garden matured, something unexpected happened. The father, who had initially opposed the project, gradually became one of its biggest admirers. What had once seemed like a waste of space became a favourite place for family conversations and quiet evenings.
Three years later, in 2025, the family decided to build an additional house on the rooftop, and the garden was removed. Some might see that as the end of the story. We see it differently.
The garden had already fulfilled its purpose. It had demonstrated the value of living landscapes, changed a skeptic's perspective and created memories that remained long after the plants were gone.
This project reminded us that landscapes are not permanent monuments. Like families, they evolve with time. Their true value lies not in how long they exist, but in the lives they enrich while they are there.