via architizer.com    author: Ross Brady

In the recent past, outdoor space in high-rise buildings has gone from being called “roof decks” and “balconies” to “sky gardens” and “sky parks.” The real estate branding potential in the “sky” part of the label is obvious, but a more significant shift is evident in the choice of the second word, as it denotes a change from private or utilitarian space to something more publicly accessible.

Despite most spaces proliferating the “sky” moniker being found in commercial or hospitality settings (therefore lacking true publicness), we’re witnessing an unprecedented rise in widely accessible, large-scale outdoor space occurring above the ground. However nascent, this trend is important to architects because it represents the emergence of a brand-new type of space, previously dreamed and theorized about but only recently becoming widespread in the real world. The architects below, employing a variety of configurations in the designs of high-rise open space, are leading the way in this effort, further pushing our society into the sky by bringing the ground along with us.

Click here to see more stunning sky gardens!

For more information on the benefits of green roofs, click here