In the coastal enclave of South Norwalk, Connecticut - where salt air meets rail lines and new builds slowly replace vacant factories - the Landscape Architects reimagined a former industrial complex into something unexpected: a living, breathing campus for sustainability.

Completed in two phases in Fall 2020 and Fall 2022, the transformation positions a global recycling leader inside a landscape that actively embodies its mission. After winning a competition to prepare a site master plan for a new corporate headquarters, Connecticut-based firm Wesley Stout Associates (WSA) crafted every layer of the site's evolution, from hardscapes to planting design, lighting, furnishings, and material selection. Working closely with the client, the firm aimed to create a space that could be both a natural respite for employees and a year-round haven for biodiversity.


The original, off-putting industrial roof was transformed into an accessible green roof that is now an activity center, complete with a putting green and bocce ball court surfaced with synthetic turf, a fire pit, and an outdoor kitchen and dining area. The gathering spot in the foreground features a 70-inch concrete firepit, portable solar lanterns, and high-back chairs.

 
A Rooftop Respite
Today, a "floating bridge" provides accessibility over the rolling meadow to connect visitors and employees to a sprawling rooftop terrace. Once a bleak industrial rooftop, the space now boasts 6,500 square feet of amenities, as well as approximately 250 cubic yards of lightweight growing media capable of retaining 115,000 gallons of stormwater.


Surfaced with thermal-finished, ash granite pavers in 5-foot lengths, the outdoor cooking and dining area features a community table, a grill, a sink, powder-coated aluminum cabinets with a stone countertop - all specified by the client - and café seating with umbrellas.

The terrace is more than symbolic; it's social. Employees can gather around a firepit illuminated by portable solar lanterns. An outdoor kitchen and long communal table host lunches and celebrations. Bocce, putting greens, and lawn games introduce play into the corporate environment. Undulating berms buffer the street and create intimate outdoor rooms, reinforcing human scale atop an industrial structure. Notably, the green roof is not a trend piece - it reduces cooling demands by roughly 20 percent and heating by 10 to 12 percent, directly lowering the building's carbon footprint.


About 250 cubic yards of lightweight roof media comprise the soil bed for approximately 6,500 square feet of native grasses, shrubs, and trees, including Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). The green roof retains around 115,000 gallons of stormwater and reduces the use of air conditioning by 20% and heating by 10-12%. Existing industrial gas lines were partially hidden by a decorative cover made of recycled deck planks, while the back side remains open to provide air circulation and maintenance access. Green roof edging from Permaloc separates the decking from the planting bed.

The Long Haul
Perhaps the most radical aspect of the campus is its commitment to long-term performance. Sustainable maintenance practices yield approximately 70 percent cost savings compared to conventional landscapes. Water use is reduced by 90 percent. Chemical treatments are eliminated, and biodiversity has flourished. Today, the site supports a remarkable range of insects, small mammals, and bird species migrating along the Connecticut coastline. Meadows provide critical seed forage and habitat structure in a region where development has often erased such systems.


This "floating bridge" is made of recycled wood, of which about 1,300 square feet was installed project wide. Blocks of granite at the end of the bridge signify "stone dams" that contribute to the layout inspired by the islands and peninsulas of Zeeland in the Netherlands, the client's home country.

Much like Norwalk itself, the campus does not hide its industrial past, it reframes it. Native plantings weave through references to industry and infrastructure. Recycled materials coexist with refined stone planks and warm wood decking. "At the end of the day, this project sends a message that corporate campuses don't need to feature manicured lawns and ornamental plantings," Stout offers. "They can be ecologically valuable, enjoyable for employees, fiscally responsible, and beautiful."


Refined site furnishings made of natural materials include handcrafted clay pots and hardwood backless benches.

As seen in LASN magazine, June 2026.