University of Hartford - Hursey Center
The 25,000 sf Omni Meadow atop the Hursey Center at the University of Hartford was installed on a 1:12 sloped roof, allowing excellent viewing opportunities from the campus quadrangle. Omni’s seeded meadows express differently across projects, informed by growth media depth, site conditions, and season, among other factors. The Hursey Center meadow, with unimpeded sunlight and 5” depth of Omni Infinity Media, grew explosively in its first two months, with heavy blooming and sunflowers reaching nine feet tall.
In addition to seeds, green roof installer and maintenance provider Recover Green Roofs planted plugs of native plant species to increase floral diversity and provide cover for local wildlife, including hummingbirds, which Recover spotted nectaring just weeks after seeding.
When viewed from the south entrance side, the Hursey Center seems smaller than it is, with only one story of cladding below the ascending green roof which hides the four-story height of the building’s north vertical exterior. Inside, 59,000 sf of innovative learning space supports classwork in engineering and nursing. The green roof helps cool the building on hot days, captures thousands of gallons of stormwater, and brings a large pollinator garden to the heart of campus.
Omni Infinity Media on this project:
Coverage Area: 24,639 sf
Depth: 5”
Stormwater Storage: >59,805 gal (>7,995 cf)
Installation Complete: 2021
Uses:
Green Roof
MeadowKey Takeaways:
Sloped roof
Only 5”-deep growth media
Habitat creation
Project Data:
Location: West Hartford, CT
Type:
Education
New ConstructionTeam:
Payette
Whiting-Turner
Recover Green RoofsAwards:
AIA Connecticut, 2024 Design AwardsAIA New England Architecture Awards, 2024 Merit Award
Boston Society of Architects Design Awards, 2024 Commendation Award
April 2021 - roof membrane
April 2021 - root barrier
April 2021 - drainage component
April 2021 - drainage component
May 2021 - Omni Infinity Media GEO
May 2021 - Omni Infinity Media GEO
June 2021 - Omni Infinity Media GEO
June 2021 - Omni Infinity Media GEO
June 2021 - Omni Infinity Media BIO
June 2021 - Omni Infinity Media BIO
June 2021 - Omni Infinity Media BIO
June 2021 - Omni Infinity Media BIO & Seed
June 2021 - Erosion Blanket
June 10, 2021 - Day 0
June 24, 2021 - Day 14
June 24, 2021 - Day 14
June 24, 2021 - Day 14
June 30, 2021 - Day 20
June 30, 2021 - Day 20
June 30, 2021 - Day 20
July 15, 2021 - Day 35
July 15, 2021 - Day 35
August 6, 2021 - Day 57
August 6, 2021 - Day 57
August 6, 2021 - Day 57
August 6, 2021 - Day 57
August 17, 2021 - approx 10 weeks
August 17, 2021 - approx 10 weeks
August 17, 2021 - approx 10 weeks
August 17, 2021 - approx 10 weeks
August 17, 2021 - approx 10 weeks
August 21, 2021 - approx 10 weeks
August 21, 2021 - approx 10 weeks
August 21, 2021 - approx 10 weeks
August 21, 2021 - approx 10 weeks - hummingbird pictured nectaring
August 21, 2021 - approx 10 weeks - sunflower reaching 9' tall
August 21, 2021 - approx 10 weeks
August 21, 2021 - approx 10 weeks
August 21, 2021 - approx 10 weeks
August 21, 2021 - approx 10 weeks
June 2, 2022 - approx 1 year
June 2, 2022 - approx 1 year
May 31, 2023 - approx 2 years
May 31, 2023 - approx 2 years
May 31, 2023 - approx 2 years
Edge detail
Edge detail
Edge detail