Lauren Henfey | Green Roof Professional

Lauren Henfey, GRP

Lauren Henfey is a renowned Designer and founder of her firm, Famous Meadow. She’s an artist with a background in Architecture from Pratt Institute. Growing up at the beach, fully immersed in nature has nurtured her passionate, loving bond with the earth. In 2014 she became a Green Roof Professional with GRHC. Since, she has been working with Green Roof firms, Landscape Designers, Artisan Fabricators, and Ecological Design firms, gaining hands-on experience, creating empathetic, living architecture in NYC, California and internationally. She is transforming the planet creating visionary art and living architecture, intimately connecting people and communities to nature. Lauren is currently bi-coastal, working with Rana the Co-Habitat Co. an Ecological Design firm based in Carmel, California. 

Contact: lauren@famousmeadow.com, LinkedIn

Why did you become a Green Roof Professional (GRP)? 

I studied Architecture and I have always been really interested in protecting the Earth.  In my designs I was very conscious of putting any nature back that we were taking away with Architecture projects. It was really important to me that I pay attention to what's happening from a global perspective. Green roofs make the most sense, especially in cities and ecologically diverse habitats. 

What does your job entail? What does your day to day look like?

I’m currently an independent contractor and my day to day is always different. A lot of times I am researching different native species of plants, doing design layouts, and calculating water collection and usage. A large part of it is designing and connecting people and communities to nature. 

What is your favorite part of your job?

It would be the feeling that I get when you’ve created something from nothing. That you get to see it and realize how much of a difference it makes on any space once you create a native habitat. Having it function, and seeing the wildlife, humans and the world being designed in a more empathetic way is really, really beautiful. 

What’s your favorite Green Roof?

Native Northeast Green Roof Rendering for a Gallery and Co-working space -Famous Meadow Chelsea, NY. Photo: Lauren Henfey

I absolutely loved this green roof I worked on for a Passive House in Brooklyn where I knew the client. I did the whole installation including the irrigation system. I really knew everything that was happening with the project, I even maintenced the roof, it felt much more personal to come back and see the wildlife habitat it continues to provide.

What advice would you provide to someone interested in pursuing a similar career path to yourself?

Learn as much as you can about it, and go for it. If it’s not for you you’ll find out shortly. If you’re interested, keep dreaming and doing and do everything you can to get to it, because it’s worth it and we need more people creating resilient infrastructure.

What trends about green infrastructure/sustainability make you excited for the future?

I’m very excited that it’s starting to pick up. The trend is that it's not really a trend anymore, it’s a necessity. More people are open to it, and realize it's a priority. That’s the exciting part for me, that you have a larger team and industry now.

How does having a GRP on projects benefit the company? 

It gives me the confidence and the know how to design in a way that’s limitless. I have the architectural and the landscape knowledge in unison, so I can do it anywhere, including rooftops and exteriors. It allowed me to design and understand exterior waterproofing, and to make it more cohesive.

Tell us about a recent project: 

I’m working on a project with RANA, an award-winning ecological design firm. I designed a living wall for a community in California, the project is almost done and I really enjoyed working on it. I enjoy the creative aspect, and I have all the tools I need to get the job done. That was my first large scale living wall that I designed. Sourcing plants was tricky, not everything was available right now due to COIVD-19 so the nurseries were really limited, but we managed to overcome the challenges and deliver a beautiful living wall.

Living Wall Watercolor Renderings for an interior community space -Rana the Co-Habitat Co. Lincoln, CA. Photo: Lauren Henfey

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Interested in becoming a GRP?

Enroll in The Living Architecture Academy, our online training platform which is dedicated to bringing you the best, most up to date professional development resources on design, installation and maintenance practices. See our Green Roof Professional (GRP) program for more details.

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC)is a non-profit 501(c)(6) professional industry association working to grow the green roof and wall industry throughout North America since 1999. Our mission is to develop and protect the market by increasing the awareness of the economic, social, and environmental benefits of green roofs, green walls, and other forms of living architecture through education, advocacy, professional development, and celebrations of excellence.  

Read The Living Architecture Monitor, our quarterly online magazine that follows industry design, policy, research and technology developments. 

GRHC’s next event is a half day Virtual Symposium on Urban Agriculture Technology, Design And Planning is March 16, 2022 from 1 to 4:30 pm est. www.greenroofs.org/events.

From the Living Architecture Monitor