Alfama Rooftop Terrace
Alfama, Lisbon · 2025
The owners wanted a rooftop that felt like a continuation of the apartment — somewhere to eat, cool off, and read at dusk — without a garden's weekly upkeep. Every decision started from the estimate: load limits, irrigation runs, and a planting palette that could take full sun and salt wind.
The challenge
The slab carried a strict weight allowance and the site took hard afternoon sun and coastal wind off the river. Drainage had to be rebuilt before a single plant went in.
Our approach
We assessed structural load first, then set a lightweight build-up: cellular drainage, a shallow limestone paving raft, and raised beds sized to the load map. Planting leans on olive, rosemary, and grasses that hold their form through the dry season on a drip line.
The outcome
A terrace that reads lush but drinks little — irrigation runs at roughly a third of a conventional roof garden, and the plunge pool anchors the space for summer evenings.
How we built it
Four phases, priced up front.
Every phase was scoped in the estimate before we broke ground, so the owner always knew what came next and what it cost.
- 1
Site assessment
Load survey, sun and wind study, and a fixed written estimate before design.
- Structural load map and weight allowance confirmed
- Sun-path and wind-exposure study across the day
- Itemised estimate with material and labour breakdown
- 2
Design
Paving layout, bed positions, and the planting palette locked to the load map.
- Scale plan with paving raft and raised-bed layout
- Planting palette matched to sun and wind zones
- Irrigation and drainage routing drawn to the estimate
- 3
Build
Drainage rebuild, paving raft, and the plunge-pool shell installed.
- Cellular drainage and waterproofing rebuilt
- Limestone paving raft laid over the slab
- Plunge-pool shell set and plumbed
- 4
Planting & handover
Trees, beds, and drip irrigation set, then a written care calendar.
- Olive, rosemary, and grasses planted to plan
- Drip irrigation commissioned and timed
- Seasonal care calendar handed over
Planting palette
Chosen for the site's light, soil, and exposure — built to hold its form on minimal water.
- Olea europaea (olive)
- Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary)
- Stipa tenuissima (feather grass)
- Lavandula dentata (French lavender)
- Teucrium fruticans (shrubby germander)
Materials & structure
The hard landscape that carries the planting and the years of use ahead.
- Portuguese limestone paving
- Powder-coated steel planters
- Cellular drainage raft
- Reclaimed timber dining deck
- 68
- m² transformed
- 9
- weeks on site
- -64%
- irrigation demand
Want a garden like Alfama's?
Book a site visit and we'll price your property the same way — a fixed, itemised estimate before any design work begins.
Site visits across Lisbon and the coast. Written estimate within five working days.