Written by Jason Gilmer | Photos courtesy Living Roofs, Inc.
Living Roofs, Inc., Is Making Rooftops See Green Across the Southeast.
The Drifters once sang about a place where one could relax as the stars put on a show for free and the air is fresh and sweet. “On the roof, it’s peaceful as can be/And there the world below don’t bother me,” the New York City-based doo-wop group sing in the classic 1962 hit, “Up On The Roof.”
Asheville’s Living Roofs, Inc., a small firm that specializes in the design and implementation of green roofs and living walls, takes this beloved lyric to a new, literal level. The peacefulness promised in the Drifters’ tune is felt in the grasses, flowering plants, sitting areas, and edibles that decorate the company’s rooftops.
The work of the firm, founded by husband-and-wife team Emilio Ancaya and Kate Blatt Ancaya in 2006, can be found on hotel roofs in downtown Asheville, homes with ocean views on South Carolina’s Kiawah Island, and hospitals and libraries across the Southeast; their projects span the country as far west as Lake Tahoe, California, and as far north as Greenwich, Connecticut.
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