3303 Water Street is a 72-unit condominium building on a narrow strip of land between the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the Potomac River in Washington, DC. The site offers panoramic views of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Rosslyn, Virginia skyline, Roosevelt Island, the Kennedy Center and the Washington Monument.

In addition to multi-level gardens, terraces and penthouse gardens, OvS designed a 10,000 square foot green roof over an adjacent electrical substation. The meadow-inspired planting serves as a foil, covering the once bare roof and obscuring an elevated highway, while drawing forward the rusticated banks of the Potomac.

The high load-baring capacity of the power station roof allowed for eight-to-twelve inches of soil depth. As a result, the firm could move confidently beyond sedum to feature diverse plantings that reflect seasonal change.