Rooftop Terrace Design · Geneva
From Cologny to Vieille-Ville
Berlin-based manufactory delivering rooftop terrace concepts to Geneva's most discerning residences, with plant design, outdoor kitchens and wellness architecture under one curatorial hand.
Why Geneva is different
Alpine air, Lake Geneva, and Swiss precision
Geneva rooftops sit on the edge of the Alps, between Lake Geneva and the Jura, with microclimates that change between a Cologny lakefront villa, a Champel hillside residence and a Vieille-Ville penthouse. Winters are cold, summers are bright, and the bise wind sweeps the city for days at a time. Swiss construction quality – probably the highest in the world – sets the baseline expectation.
We work in this tension daily: with Geneva architects who navigate cantonal consent, with structural engineers who know what an alpine winter asks of a roof, and with clients who divide their time between Geneva, Verbier or Gstaad chalets, and properties across Europe. Our role is the plant and outdoor lifestyle layer – ecological substrate, curated composition, and the wellness elements (spa, sauna, outdoor kitchen) that turn a Geneva roof into a year-round sanctuary.
Our Geneva approach
Curated plants, ecological substrate, lifestyle integration
- Symbiosis methodology – mycorrhizal partnerships, effective microorganisms and humus building replace chemical fertilisation. Aligned with Swiss sustainability expectations.
- Hardy plant palette – evergreen structure (yew, boxwood, dwarf pine, holly), four-season layers (Japanese maple, hydrangea, witch hazel), Mediterranean accents in protected lake-facing microclimates.
- Wellness architecture – spa, sauna and outdoor kitchen integration with lake and Mont Blanc panorama. Bise-aware living screens.
- Swiss-standard execution – load calculations with structural engineers, Geneva-canton building consent where required, materials specified for alpine winters and bise wind.
Areas we serve
Across Geneva and the lakefront communes
Most of our Geneva work is concentrated in lakefront villas, hillside residences and inner-city penthouses. We also handle select hospitality and family office projects.
How a Geneva project unfolds
From first conversation to handover
- 01
Understanding before drawing
Site visit (or detailed remote survey for first conversations from Berlin), discussion of the people and rhythm using the terrace, early constraint mapping (winter exposure, bise wind, structure, microclimate).
- 02
Concept and curation
A small set of plant compositions, material moodboards, wellness element placement. Always optionality – never a single take-it-or-leave-it.
- 03
Engineering and consent
Load calculations with structural engineer, cantonal building consent where required, coordination with the building's architect and interior designer.
- 04
Installation and handover
Our team installs on site over one to several weeks, depending on complexity. Plants are pre-conditioned in our Berlin nursery and regional Swiss nurseries. After handover we offer ongoing care subscriptions following the same symbiosis methodology.
Frequently asked
What clients usually want to know first
- Do you work on rooftop terrace projects in Geneva?
- Yes. Most of our Geneva work is penthouse residences and lakefront villas across Cologny, Vandœuvres, Anières and Versoix, plus city-centre terraces in Champel, Eaux-Vives and Vieille-Ville.
- How do you handle the alpine winter and the bise?
- With cold-hardy plant material, frost-proof substrate composition, bise-aware living screens, and materials specified for freeze-thaw cycles.
- How long does a typical Geneva project take?
- Between three and ten months from first conversation to handover. Larger Cologny villas with wellness architecture often need six to twelve months of planning.
Start a Geneva rooftop conversation
The first call is unhurried – understanding before any concept. We travel from Berlin for site visits when the project warrants it.
Get in touch