Soccer on the Roof

The kids at Prepa Tec Middle School in Huntington Park, California, can now take their soccer games to new heights. Located five miles from downtown Los Angeles, the school was designed in 2021 by Franco Architects with a specific goal—to add a synthetic turf playing surface on its roof because there was no room on the campus.

Joe Wadkins, aka “ASK JW,” Global Synthetic Turf Expert, designed the mini, rooftop soccer field and consulted/ installed the rooftop system with Turfscape Westside. JW is a pioneer in the synthetic Industry and a forefront creator of synthetic turf rooftop spaces. With decades of experience, he still gets excited when projects like this come to fruition.

Joe Wadkins (Third from left in dark blue shirt) and his crew

The mini soccer field was constructed on top of a poured-in place concrete slab that was immediately ready for placement of the synthetic turf field. The surface was sloped with a crown in the middle for drainage, which makes it easy for excessive rainwater to exit. Now, all the team needed was a way to get the materials up. They had to block off the surrounding streets and use a crane to move the materials to the roof.

A plastic composite nailer board was used at the perimeter of the field and secured with Superseam Pro 444 adhesive and concrete embeds. This was to contain the entire synthetic turf rooftop system and secure the synthetic turf from wind lift.

JW and the team placed a one-inch plastic composite grid called AirDrain under the turf, which elevates synthetic turf one inch to allow for fast drainage. This drainage grid is designed with a 92 percent air void, allowing air to circulate and water to pass through rapidly. The grid contributes to shock absorption, which is important for any sports field.

Rooftop before & during the renovation

The team wasted no time stretching, trimming, stapling and ballasting the synthetic turf over the grid and finishing the edges. They placed anti-microbial synthetic turf infill granules into the turf fibers to keep the fibers vertical and safe for everyone that plays on the surface. The infill also creates ballast (weight) to prevent wind lift to further secure the turf from blowing off.

JW and the Turfscape team completed the project in three days. The final step for the mini soccer field was to add nets around the top perimeter to keep soccer balls from being kicked off into the streets below.

“Architects and engineers are starting to incorporate synthetic turf rooftops in their design,” JW says.

"With synthetic turf green roof living, everyone
can have a place where they can go & hang out
& enjoy the views. It is a no-brainer."

JW has been a leader in creating rooftops, balconies and mezzanines for companies and hotels across the U.S. Just a few miles away from the mini soccer field, one of JW’s synthetic green spaces sits atop the roof of the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Get In Touch With...

Joe "JW" Wadkins
Global Synthetic
Turf Expert & Author of “ASK JW”

ASK JW Hotline: 1(888)846–3598
Email: jw@askjw.com