As we are now aware of the almost endless possibilities and examples of rooftop amenities, our imagination begins to shift focus from ‘What type of amenity could my building have?’  to ‘What type of amenity should my building have?’

One type of amenity we have yet to cover are the exotic & pet amenities. In different times, allocating luxury cabanas on a rooftop deck might have seemed ludicrous. This is not the case today. The advancement in production and technology have brought these types of cost down, and easy assembly make rooftop cabanas a viable and reasonable investment for certain rooftops. This is just one example of how some features considered “luxury”, and traditionally witnessed only in exotic hotels, are making their way up to residential rooftops.

Hey! This is the final post of this great series. You’d probably be interested in other examples of rooftop amenities:

FOLLOW THE SHORTCUTS:

Part 1: Standard Features

Part 2: Living & Sharing

Part 3: Sports & Health

Part 4: Water-based

Part 5: Rooftop Gardens

Part 6: Recreational

Part 7: Luxury & Leased

Part 8: Exotic & Pet

EXOTIC & PET EXAMPLES OF ROOFTOP AMENITIES

Hammock Gardens: Yes! Who wouldn’t love to read a book over the city skies? Oh yeah! Did we mention on a hammock? Well, as unconventional as this may seem, hammock garden features on rooftop amenities are the thing. This could be a great fit for coastal living or even urban neighborhoods with demographic characteristics that resonate with this type of living.

Hammock gardens deliver a more complete experience when over a grass setting. This means setting up a grass patch with a proper drainage system. Shade is also important. To provide shade for each hammock stall you can set up simple wooden structures (to hold up the hammocks) but also to provide individual shade for your tenants. You can purchase prefabricated hammock stalls and have them installed on your roof, making the cost and time of investment reasonable for the ROI they provide.

Putting Greens: Mini golf on the penthouse floor is an exotic feature to complement any amenity package. As with most of these exotic examples, you can purchase prefabricated putting greens, and have them installed on your roof. This could be something to consider if your building is family oriented, as putting green can be a fun activity for young kids or the whole family. Millennials are also attracted to putting greens for they provide the opportunity to invite friends over and do something fun. The maintenance around this feature is relatively low and usually putting green providers will offer guarantee and maintenance for relatively low cost.

Cabanas: Private cabanas are quite the exotic luxury. Your tenants will be delighted to be able to count on a private rooftop cabana where they can dine, share, and chat with their friends and loved ones. This feature is sure to be loved by you renters, and therefore, make your building more competitive. Also, you can count on occupancy retention going up! In today’s world, you can buy private prefabricated cabanas. If you are looking to elevate the gravitas of your amenity, then consider strategically placing some private cabanas sky high on the top level of your building.

Dog Parks: Pet friendly buildings are very sought after by a certain demographic, and in a decreasing market for pet friendly residential buildings, a pet friendly amenity feature can provide a real competitive edge to your rental property. Dog parks can be a simple add-on that yields big results. There are prefabricated dog playgrounds you can get. You might or might not need to fence off the area depending on the building and the design. Just know that, as an architect or a developer, there are plenty of options for pets up on the roof! So if the target market of your project is pet friendly don’t be shy to include them in your amenity design.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

We have come to the end of our “The Sky Is the Limit for Rooftop Amenities!” series, and by now, we hope to have brought some clarity as to what different types of features you – architects and developers – can leverage to add value to your building. These are just some of the most common and best accepted amenities in an almost infinite of possibilities of features and examples. Literally, the sky is the limit.

How different amenity features can impact the value of your buildings, and the value of your rent, is yet another topic we have dedicated a series to. Furthermore, we can start to appreciate the path to amenity development that leads to more comprehensive, beautiful and profitable rooftop amenities.