This course links urban ecology and urban design through a civic engagement project with partners building, designing, and managing green roofs in NYC. Green roofs are examples of green infrastructure, often seen by policy makers and community members as a way to increase biodiversity in cities, mitigate urban heat, absorb stormwater, places for growing food and provide novel spaces for many other social benefits. Yet, there is less research-based evidence quantifying these social and ecological benefits in the context of a rooftop green space, and therefore limited information about how they can be expanded in NYC to maximize their social and environmental benefits. In this course, we examine social, ecological and environmental aspects of urban green roofs and learn urban field ecology and participatory research design techniques. We connect scientific knowledge and awareness of New York City policy contexts with diverse design skills as we study urban ecology in the vertical architecture of the city. This intensive studio course will help us to build the knowledge base for designing improved functionality, beauty, and ecological and environmental features that benefit both human and non-human species, while advancing knowledge to improve city investments in building out green roofs in the city. We will meet at project sites on the roofs at Sunset Park, Long Island City, Williamsburg and other green roofs several times throughout the semester.