dear designboom reader,

often empty or neglected, rooftops can be adapted to serve a variety of uses, from urban farming, to housing or recreational activities. in the 'rooftop catalogue', MVRDV taps into the potential rotterdam's underused flat roofs by proposing 130 different new functions including personal offices, sports fields, and even a cemetery.

pools atop roofs can serve to keep the surrounding terrain as untouched as possible (or maximize square footage), like in this portuguese concrete residence, or this linear home in north-eastern sicily. last, roofs offer an ideal spot for urban farming, as illustrated in the stepped vegetable garden of the 'red roof house' in vietnam, or in this organic rooftop farm in thailand.

thanks for reading!

sofia lekka angelopoulou | senior editor