Boston, MA
Higher Ground Farm, Boston Design Center
Scope/Solutions
Located on Boston Design Center’s roof, Higher Ground Farm is an urban garden offering a variety of local produce to the Seaport District neighborhood. SGH evaluated the existing roof structure to determine its adequacy to support the 14,000 sq ft rooftop farm.
SGH analyzed the existing roof structure and determined the structure could adequately support the proposed garden. As part of our evaluation, we considered the effects of different growing seasons and the impact of seasonal loads, such as snow.
Working closely with our client and the contractor, SGH helped develop a layout and set parameters that they could implement to safely construct and operate their farm. Highlights of our layout design include the following:
- Locating planting beds to avoid damming or blocking roof drains
- Establishing a planting arrangement to fit within the capacity of the existing roof
- Strategically placing planting beds based on their weight to maximize the usable rooftop space
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Project Summary
Solutions
New Construction
Services
Structures | Performance & Code Consulting
Markets
Culture & Entertainment
Specialized Capabilities
Risk & Resilience Assessment
Key team members
Greggrey Cohen
Managing Principal, Structural Repair and Rehabilitation, Boston
Additional Projects
Northeast
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center Marquee
The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) wanted a new marquee at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCECAs the prime consultant, SGH designed the marquee structure located along the Summer Street entrance.
Northeast
Gillette Stadium North End Zone
Gillette Stadium, which is owned by The Kraft Group, has been home to the New England Patriots NFL team since its construction in the early 2000s. SGH provided building enclosure consulting services for the north end zone expansion project and other prior projects at Gillette Stadium.



