The Vancouver Convention Centre living roof, completed in 2010, is one of North America’s largest green roofs and a defining example of landscape architecture delivering long-term environmental and civic performance. Sixteen years later, the project demonstrates how large-scale green infrastructure evolves over time, and how its success depends on sustained stewardship, adaptation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Designed as a native meadow system, the 2.4-hectare (6 acre) roof was established to support biodiversity, manage stormwater, moderate building performance, and contribute to the project’s first world’s double LEED® Platinum certification. The planting strategy drew from local coastal plant communities, using hardy, low-maintenance species adapted to shallow soils and exposed rooftop conditions. From the outset, the roof was intended to perform as both infrastructure and habitat within a dense urban environment.

Monitoring over the first 8 years had documented increased biodiversity including a diverse and evolving insect population, reinforcing the roof’s role as functioning green infrastructure. Over time, the roof has changed. Plant communities have shifted in response to climate variability, maintenance practices, and operational realities. A significant irrigation mishap during the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this transition, resulting in the loss of some original species and the establishment of more drought-tolerant and opportunistic vegetation. These changes have not diminished the project’s value; rather, they have revealed the resilience of the system and the importance of allowing landscapes to adjust to evolving conditions.

Today, the roof operates as a dynamic and varied landscape. Areas of the original planting palette remain, while others have adapted to new conditions, creating a mosaic that continues to support habitat, stormwater performance, and thermal regulation.

Long-term performance has been supported through ongoing collaboration between the owner, landscape architects, maintenance teams, and researchers. Maintenance strategies have evolved in response to observed conditions, shifting from prescriptive care toward adaptive management. This approach recognizes that long-term success is not defined by maintaining original design intent, but by sustaining performance and resilience.

The project also demonstrates the value of landscapes as research and education platforms. Partnerships with scientists, educators and facility managers have enabled ongoing study of plant succession, biodiversity, and climate response, extending the impact of the project beyond its physical footprint. The roof continues to inform best practices for large-scale green roofs, particularly in relation to maintenance, monitoring, and long-term stewardship.

The Vancouver Convention Centre living roof challenges the notion of completion in landscape architecture. It highlights the role of the landscape architect beyond design delivery, emphasizing responsibility for long-term performance, adaptation, and stewardship. As climate pressures increase, the project reflects the need for flexible management strategies and sustained investment in living systems.

Sixteen years after its construction, the Vancouver Convention Centre living roof remains a benchmark for urban green infrastructure. It is not a static model, but an evolving system that continues to inform practice, research, and the role of landscape architecture in shaping resilient cities.

CERTIFICATIONS
LEED® Platinum for New Construction
LEED® Platinum for Existing Buildings

COLLABORATORS
LMN Architects / DA Architects / Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership
PCL Construction Services
Glotman Simpson Engineers
Sandwell Engineering Inc.
Stantec
Holland Landscapers
BCIT Green Roof Research
Rana Creek Habitat Restoration,
Active Turf Irrigation Ltd.
Paul Kephart, Rana Creek Habitat Restoration
Flynn Canada Ltd
Soprema
American Hydrotech, Inc.
Nats Nursery
ILD

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