a rooftop meadow of purple wildflowers in chicago

February 19, 2024

Words: Wilson Barlow

Photography: Dave Burk

Picnic in This Meadow Atop Chicago’s Old Post Office

2023 Best of Year Winner for Commercial Landscape

Thanks to an adaptive reuse initiative, Chicago’s Old Post Office, a monumental art deco structure that was once the center of the city’s postal system now has the capacity to house 16,000 office workers, thanks to a massive renovation by Gensler. A key offering the now mixed-use property lacked pre-renovation was outdoor space, so developer 601W decided to take advantage of the sprawling 3 ½-acre rooftop, calling on Hoerr Schaudt to create an alfresco amenity. Footpaths meander around major structural beams where the roof is strongest; everywhere else, perennials and grasses are planted in a custom ultra-lightweight soil mix. The garden—one of the nation’s largest private green roofs—brings a vibrant natural beauty to the building and helps it meet sustainability goals to boot.

Best of Year 2025 Awards

See Interior Design’s Best of Year Winners and Honorees

Explore must-see projects and innovative products that took home high honors.

2025 WINNERS
an overhead view of the rooftop meadow
a rooftop meadow of purple wildflowers in chicago
the chicago skyline from the roof of the old post office

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