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From Storm Water Management to Artful Rainwater Design(1)
From Storm Water Management to Artful Rainwater Design(1)
From Storm Water Management to Artful Rainwater Design(1)
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ABSTRACT New stormwater management techniques can use opportunities. As these new strategies are integrated
rainwater to create amenities that enhance a site’s attractive- into projects, they can either be concealed under-
ness or value. This concept—“artful rainwater design”—both ad-
dresses stormwater management in environmentally responsible ground in pipes and vaults, or celebrated on the surface
ways and creates expressive landscapes that celebrate storm- as site amenities that increase landscape attractiveness
water. Through an analysis of 20 exemplary designs, the goals or value—this is artful rainwater design. Addressing the
and objectives of stormwater management as a site amenity, as
amenity aspect provides a useful strategy for ensuring
well as specific design techniques for its accomplishment, are
explained. Five amenity goals drawn from the case studies— that stormwater management “starts at the source,” as
education, recreation, safety, public relations, and aesthetic so many experts have advised (Richman 1999; Ferguson
richness—are identified, categorized, and described. The paper 1991; Liptan 2005; Schueler, Kumble, and Heraty 1992;
concludes by discussing the future of artful rainwater design.
Coffman 2000; France 2002).
KEYWORDS Amenity, design, landscape, stormwater tech-
This article offers a systematic analysis of the de-
niques, urban drainage
sign strategies used in 20 innovative ARD projects.
Its purpose is (1) to clarify the goals and objectives of
In the United Kingdom, policies introduced ame- fare are well established (Roesner and Matthews 1990;
nity factors as a facet of stormwater management in the Tourbier 1994). Protecting or creating aquatic habitat
early 2000s through new concepts such as the “urban has also become a leading goal (Coffman 2000; Hager
drainage triangle” (Figure 1). Sustainable urban drain- 2001). Utilitarian goals commonly include promoting
age regulations in the United Kingdom now require groundwater recharge, reducing pollutant loads, pro-
quality, quantity, and amenity to be considered equally tecting stream channels, preventing increased overbank
in evaluating new drainage plans (CIRIA 2001). Al- flooding, and safely conveying large floods (Schueler,
though the SUDS definition of amenity focused initially Kumble, and Heraty 1992; USEPA 2005b). Common
on providing open space and wildlife habitat, SUDS in- stormwater management objectives (Ferguson and
cludes “community value, resource management (e.g., Debo 1994) and the varied techniques for accomplish-
rainwater use), multi-use of space, education, water ing them (Hager 2001; Urbonas, Roesner, and Sonnen
features, habitat creation, biodiversity action plans” 1989) are presented in Table 1.
(National SUDS Working Group 2003, 60). Peter Stahre In contrast to the extensive publication on storm-
has taken a similar view: “The characteristic feature of water management utility goals, no methodical study
the new approach to urban drainage is that quantity of the goals, objectives, and techniques for the ame-
and quality issues are handled together with amenity” nity component of ARD exists. The few current publi-
(Stahre 2005, 2). Stahre also identifies the positive val- cations that address amenity issues are limited to de-
ues of open storm drainage as shown in Figure 2 (Stahre scribing or critiquing specific designs. Our intent is to
2006, 13). move beyond this descriptive work to bring specificity
Abundant literature addresses the utility goals, ob- to amenity goals and objectives related to stormwater
jectives, and techniques of stormwater management. management and to identify design techniques used to
Though the goals and techniques are evolving, the basic achieve those goals.
principles of protecting public health, safety, and wel-
IDEAS TO LEARN
Hydrologic cycle Make stormwater trail visible and legible
Create a narrative of stormwater and / or the hydrologic cycle
Employ expressive hydrologic symbols
Historical water condition Make stormwater trail visible and legible
Integrate stormwater-related site artifacts into the design
Create a narrative of the historical water condition
Employ expressive symbols of historical water condition
Water treatment types Make stormwater treatment system visible and legible
Make stormwater treatment system playful, intriguing, or puzzling
Include variety of stormwater treatment systems in design
Treatment system impact Create systems that visibly collect and store trash and / or pollution
Riparian plant types Provide a variety of visible plant types and communities
Riparian wildlife Provide a variety of interesting wildlife habitats:
Use plants that provide wildlife food
Provide different water depths
Create shelter for wildlife such as bird and bat houses
WAY S T O L E A R N
Signage Provide simple signage or exhibits that use:
Brief text
Clear graphics
Location, color, or motion that attracts people
Programming Design treatment system to invite educational games or activities
3. Recreation: favorable conditions for play and / or and social interaction were not established through
relaxation ARD in our projects.
4. Safety: freedom from exposure to danger or risk Next, we reexamined each project to determine
how (or whether) it uses stormwater treatment systems
5. Social interaction: commingling of individuals or
to achieve each amenity goal. This review yielded a list
groups
of all design techniques observed in each discrete case
6. Public relations: semiotic expression of values of the to realize each ARD goal. The design techniques were
designer and / or owner then organized into a matrix to identify the common
7. Aesthetic richness: beauty or pleasure as a result of ARD objectives that those techniques fulfill. The tech-
design composition niques presented are not characteristic of every case
study project, nor do they represent all possible design
Of these, the amenity goals most clearly achieved in strategies for achieving an amenity objective. Each
our ARD cases included education, recreation, safety, technique, however, is found in one or more of the case
public relations, and aesthetic richness. Convenience studies.
can be presented through visible / legible water trails The educational impact of the rainwater design at
or rich landscape narratives, and how signage provides Pierce County Environmental Services is augmented by
effective “ways to learn.” effective signage at strategic spots. In our case studies,
Making the stormwater treatment system vis- we found that signs presenting dense blocks of edge-to-
ible and legible encourages visitors to notice and ei- edge text lack eye appeal and can seem too much like
ther instantly grasp it, or be compelled to piece the a lecture to pique a person’s interest. In fact, we found
puzzle together to comprehend how the site manages some signs so daunting that we photographed them for
runoff. Often, a visible stormwater system combines future reference rather than reading them on site! But
effectively with signage to maximize the educational at Pierce County a brilliant signage system cajoles visi-
opportunity. The Pierce County Environmental Ser- tors into learning: first, the signs present small, digest-
vices Facility in Chambers Creek, Washington (The ible tidbits of information that can be read at a glance;
Miller | Hull Partnership, LLP, Bruce Dees & Associ- second, the signs are located along major pathways,
ates, LLC) focuses considerable design energy on this ensuring pedestrian encounters with the information;
combined educational strategy. The water trail begins and third, their bright yellow color makes them highly
at a corner of the building at a dramatic scupper from visible. Thus a noticeable and enjoyable educational
which water falls into a concrete basin incised with a system is created.
spiral runnel. When it rains, water spirals from that Ideas about rainwater can be expressed through
basin into an adjacent wetland that visitors view from artistic narrative as well as through instructional pre-
a meandering boardwalk (Figure 3). At the end of the sentation of facts. A stunning example of this educa-
wetland, the water disappears briefly under a roadway tional strategy is found at the Seven Corners Market
to reemerge in a bioswale lined with river stone and in Portland, Oregon (Figure 5). Artist Ivan McLean
riparian plants, interspersed with pieces of driftwood transformed a scupper into an eye-catching sculpture
to drive home the water theme. The bioswale forms a that tells of the relationship between rainwater and
250-foot-long axis, edged on one side by a parking lot that prized fish of the Northwest, the salmon. McLean
and on the other by a walking trail that ensures maxi- draped tendrils of stainless steel from the end of the
mum visibility of the water treatment system. At the scupper and attached stainless steel salmon silhouettes
end of the bioswale, the water system again disap- that seem to swim upstream toward the scupper. When
pears under a roadway, to end in a plaza with three vis- rainwater pours from the scupper, the salmon face the
ible valve heads (Figure 4). Signage explains that this cascading water (the symbolic downstream current) to
is a “flow splitter plaza” channeling runoff into two fight their way upriver. Even when dry, the sculpture
different treatment swales, one grass-lined and one suggests the impact stormwater has on the downstream
rock-lined, while a third diverter awaits development environment.
of future treatment strategies. Throughout the linear Taking the idea of artistic stormwater narrative to
system, multiple water “lessons” and a high level of full-site scale, landscape architect Carol Mayer Reed’s
craft reflect the designers’ effort to call attention to the metaphorical landscape represents the hydrological
rainwater treatment system. cycle at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland
(Figure 6). Four huge scuppers protrude from the con- stormwater treatment system in relaxing, amusing, or
vention center building and convey rainwater from its refreshing ways. In contrast to the education goal, the
five-acre roof into a detention and biofiltration system focus is playful interaction; enjoyment is the intent. The
designed as an urbane abstraction of a regional river. distinction between education and recreation is admit-
Native basalt columns punctuate a tiered channel of tedly nuanced, but we present them separately to as-
sequential runnels, pools, and weirs; and native plants sist designers who may wish to emphasize one over the
are elegantly arranged in and along the channel. The other.
design tells the story of the water’s journey from rooftop We identified three objectives of recreational inter-
to river. action with ARD: “view” (the opportunity to see water
or the water system while relaxing in the landscape),
Recreation. As a design goal in ARD, recreation means “enter” (the ability to step into the water or water sys-
providing conditions favorable for interacting with the tem and come into physical contact with it), and “play
VIEW
Pass by Provide paths in strategic locations that ensure encounters with the stormwater treatment system
Connect on-site trails to off-site trail systems and destinations that ensure encounters with the
stormwater treatment system
Pause Create overlooks with views of the stormwater system
Create destination points related to stormwater treatment systems
Rest Provide seating using walls, benches, or tables and chairs with views of the stormwater system
ENTER
Wayfinding Provide clear points of entry into the stormwater system
Make entry points visually inviting or mysterious
Access Make entry points easily accessible
Provide places to sit within the stormwater system design
P L AY I N
Explore Provide a variety of small and large places to play in or explore
Make areas that invite climbing and physical exploration while balancing perceptions of safety
with adventure
Interact Create systems that can be safely modified by the user such as small movable river rocks and weirs
in” (the opportunity to engage with or modify the water ing to the designers, students emerge from the dormi-
or water system). These categories and design tech- tories during storms to watch the rainwater show (Mc-
niques used to achieve them in the case study projects Donald 2006).
are presented in Table 3. Some recreation-focused de- Recreational paths in strategic locations can also
sign techniques stand out in the case studies: one en- ensure that features are noticed. One strategy is to con-
courages relaxed viewing through effective placement nect off-site destinations through on-site paths, com-
of seating; two provide views of the stormwater treat- pelling people to encounter the stormwater system as
ment to those traveling along strategically placed paths; they traverse the site. At the Water Pollution Control
and one allows visitors to enter and play in the storm- Laboratory in Portland (Murase Associates) pedestrians
water system. and bicyclists traveling to or from a number of off-site
To encourage viewing of a landscape feature, destinations pass through the designed landscape and
there’s nothing quite as effective as providing a place encounter the stormwater management system.
to sit. Whether wall, bench, or table and chairs, a seat A second noteworthy example of a strategically
invites people to pause and view their surroundings. placed path system is found at Waterworks Garden
The best example we found was a pair of sheltered in Renton, Washington (Lorna Jordan, Jones & Jones,
benches located to view a dramatic stormwater show Brown & Caldwell). Seattle artist Lorna Jordan trans-
outside Stephen Epler Hall, a dormitory on the urban formed a stormwater treatment system adjacent to a
campus of Portland State University (Figure 7). During county wastewater treatment plant into a sequence of
rain events, water shoots down a five-story downspout garden rooms that follow the water trail downhill: the
into a rock-filled basin, gushes out a small scupper into Knoll, the Funnel, the Grotto, the Passage, and the Re-
a runnel that directs water across the space, then falls lease. The garden rooms appear on a recreational path
into a “biopaddy” (a sunken plant-filled basin). Lo- (Figure 8) that exhibits virtually all the characteristics
cated under a freestanding roof (particularly accom- cited by the Kaplans as the “mystery” promoting a “de-
modating for use during the rain), the two benches are sire to explore” (1998, 16).5
backed by a wall, resulting in a sense of “prospect and Another type of ARD recreational interaction en-
refuge” that renders them even more inviting. Accord- courages visitors to enter the stormwater treatment
system. At the previously described Oregon Convention one of the weirs (Figure 9). Once in, the adventuresome
Center in Portland, the river abstraction is separated may clamber across the rocks or simply sit and enjoy
from the nearby sidewalk by a lush lawn, and is even the lush surroundings. On our site visit, we observed
more clearly separated from pedestrians by a border carefully placed piles of river stone from the treatment
of thick plantings and rocks along its lawn edge; but system, clearly crafted by visitors who took advantage
at certain points the border opens, and a flat rock laid of the opportunity to enter and play (Figure 10).
flush with the lawn allows visitors to enter the “river” at
C O N T R O L AC C E S S
Vertical barrier Provide walls, screens, or railings that allow views but prevent access to stormwater
Provide upland, riparian, or wetland plant massing that allow views but prevents access to stormwater
Horizontal barrier Use bridges, boardwalks, or platforms to allow users to view stormwater from above
Water containers Use water-themed aboveground stormwater storage facilities such as rain barrels, water towers, or cisterns
CONTROL QUANTIT Y
Depth Do not collect stormwater in large centralized storage facilities
Disperse stormwater into shallow storage facilities using flow splitters or tiered basins
Limit stormwater depth by creating horizontal space for water to spread out
Limit stormwater depth by adding large river stones to basins where people could have access
Velocity Do not collect or move stormwater in large centralized conveyance facilities
Disperse stormwater into small conveyance facilities using level spreaders or flow splitters
Create “water brakes” to slow stormwater by abruptly changing flow direction
Slow stormwater by creating small waterfalls that dissipate energy
Safety. In ARD, this goal focuses on safe interaction den, another technique renders stormwater visible but
with water by mitigating the dangers associated with inaccessible. In the garden room called the Release, vis-
stormwater. In our litigious society, this goal is central itors meander among wetland pools that filter storm-
to making ARD possible. Both standing and running water before its release into Springbrook Creek; though
water often form a central element of ARD; but how virtually immersed in a landscape of pools, visitors are
do we prevent it from being (and being perceived as) a prevented by massed riparian and wetland plantings
drowning hazard?6 Case studies have focused on con- from reaching the water’s edge. Surprisingly, plantings
trolling access to water and controlling water quantity are absent on a few pond edges very close to the path,
(both velocity and depth). Table 4 presents these miti- and these spots may be dangerous. Waterworks Garden
gation types and an array of design techniques to ad- employs each of the three general techniques to limit
dress them. Within the case studies, three design tech- access to water that we found across the cases: by struc-
niques addressing safety stand out: limiting physical ture, by planting, and by placing the visitor above the
access to water; limiting water velocity; and limiting stormwater treatment system.
water depth. Control of water quantity is the safety objective ad-
In the previously described Waterworks Garden, dressed at 110 Cascades in Seattle (Seattle Public Utili-
Lorna Jordan employed a number of design techniques ties Natural Drainage Systems), a stormwater treatment
to limit physical access to stormwater while ensur- system that steps down the side of a sloping suburban
ing satisfying water views. At the garden entrance (the residential street. Here a series of terraced weirs controls
Knoll), visitors walk down an “allée” of basalt columns both water velocity and depth. Stepped pools created
toward an enticing overlook. Along that walk, storm- by the weirs distribute standing water along the water
water appears literally beneath the visitor’s feet, safely trail into shallow basins. At the same time, the verti-
out of reach yet very striking: steel grating traverses the cal drop of water at each weir slows the water velocity:
stone terrace in a stream-like shape, and the babbling waterflow energy is dispersed by its drop and impact
water runs below. Flowing water, central to that entry (Figure 12). Over the course of the stormwater treat-
experience, is rendered safe by a simple walking grate ment system, the weirs transform a potential downhill
(Figure 11). torrent of stormwater into a series of shallow pools and
At the overlook the stream cascades off the terrace calmly cascading water.
into the first of a series of settling ponds (the Funnel). Finally, the Glencoe Elementary School reten-
Here, a railing at the terrace edge controls physical ac- tion and biofiltration basin offers a simple technique
cess to the standing water below. Elsewhere in the gar- to limit stormwater depth that is found in many of the
case study projects. The detention basin on the uphill composition and choice of materials. That PR message,
side of a weir is filled to the brim with river rocks, the along with both sub-messages (“we are aesthetically re-
mass of rounded rock creating voids that permit water fined” and “we are distinctive”) is successfully commu-
to collect in the basin. Stormwater either disappears nicated at 10th@Hoyt, the interior entry courtyard of an
into the interstices or rises slightly above the rock sur- upscale apartment building in Portland’s Pearl District.
face (Figure 13). River rocks are particularly appropri- The courtyard displays an understated orthogonal com-
ate in this application, both for their water-shaped form position on axis with the courtyard entry; a restrained
and for the water-retaining voids between them. palette of materials, colors, and textures creates an
aura of subdued elegance (Figure 14). The stormwater
Public relations. As an ARD goal, public relations (PR) system is both unusual and consistent with the over-
means that either a discrete feature or the character of all courtyard aesthetic: the courtyard axis is marked by
the overall design makes a semiotic statement about a simple copper downspout running down the face of
the values of those who created and / or own the site. the five-story building. Stormwater from the downspout
Four broad PR objectives frequently delivered through then takes a fascinating path along a runnel within a
ARD emerged from our analysis: “we care,” “we are pro- stepped aqueduct, dropping into a river rock-filled ba-
gressive,” “we are smart,” and “we are sophisticated.” sin to recirculate in Cor-ten fountains (Figure 15). Other
We also found it useful to classify these broad PR mes- downspout-and-runnel systems in two corners of the
sages into sub-messages that can be expressed alone or space have variations on the same theme. The composi-
in tandem with others. Table 5 presents the PR objec- tion creates an appropriate atmosphere for the urbane
tives and some associated design techniques found in citizens of this rapidly gentrifying district and the visual
the case studies. suggestion that treating runoff as a valuable resource is
Two projects present particularly effective design “hip.” And it apparently works: the apartment developer
techniques addressing PR: one says “we are sophisti- Trammel Crowe has asked Koch to design ARDs for ad-
cated” through compositional elegance and restraint ditional projects, based on their assessment that the de-
along with careful choice of materials; the second, sign has helped attract tenants (Koch 2006).
through a range of techniques site-wide, says both “we The PR objectives “we care” and “we are progres-
care” and “we are progressive.” Achieving the “we are so- sive” can be communicated through clarity of the en-
phisticated” message is largely a matter of elegant design vironmental mission in ARD—the design can overtly
exhibit what hydrological benefit is accomplished, street right-of-way. Brightly colored signs with brief text
and how. Is this a form of education as well? Most defi- and graphics are strategically located along community
nitely, but the focus here is on the PR objective and roads and sidewalks, briefly explaining how each facet
technique—the values that are promoted and the ways of the stormwater treatment system works. Indeed, a
that the rainwater design expresses those values. “We focus on stormwater pervades the whole community:
care” and “we are progressive” are two value messages select sidewalks are incised with concentric rings remi-
evident at High Point, a new neo-traditional residential niscent of a waterdrop’s impact on a pool; decorative
community in West Seattle (Mithūn Partners, Nakano concrete castings of dragonflies adorn drain inlets; even
Landscape Architects). This design displays a range of the splash guards at the base of some downspouts are
contemporary stormwater treatment systems, from po- decorated with stormwater-related imagery. Thus, two
rous sidewalks and driveways to bioswales lining every types of PR points are made: first, the sheer range of
WE CARE
We are environmentally Create a variety of highly visible stormwater treatment systems
responsible and want you Locate stormwater treatment systems near entries, courtyards, or windows for high visibility
to learn about stormwater Use signage explaining stormwater treatment and intent
Create opportunities for programming educational activities
We want you to know Use commonly available materials
that you can do this Create small-scale replicable interventions
yourself Utilize common settings such as sidewalks and parking lots
WE ARE PROGRESSIVE
We are experimental Utilize new and innovative stormwater treatment methods
Use signage that explains treatment and intent
We are innovative Utilize new forms and materials
Utilize traditional stormwater treatment methods in new ways
WE ARE SMART
We are resourceful Be opportunistic by using small, leftover, and unexpected spaces
and clever Achieve additional functions such as traffic calming and beautification
We know you will notice Make the stormwater trail easy to find and follow
the treatment if it’s fun Make the stormwater trail mysteriously disappear and reappear
Make the stormwater or water treatment system touchable
Make the stormwater audible: plunge pools, downspouts
Make the stormwater move in different ways: tumble, run, splash
Encourage walking in or climbing on the water treatment system
W E A R E S O P H I S T I C AT E D
We are aesthetically Create elegantly simple composition
refined Use refined and expensive materials
Use refined and expensive construction methods
Use restraint in diversity of materials and forms
Design for manicured look: clipped, trimmed, clean
We are distinctive Make unusual line of stormwater trail
Use unusual water presentation forms and themes
BMPs sends the message that the developers care; sec- tactile, or olfactory experience; but because our case
ond, the BMPs are highly visible, aesthetically appeal- studies lack examples of olfactory richness, our findings
ing amenities that show how progressive the developers are limited to the visual, auditory, and tactile. Table 6
are in celebrating stormwater as a resource. presents these three types of experience in terms of the
compositional elements and principles most effectively
Aesthetic richness. In ARD, aesthetic richness means employed in the case studies, then explains some de-
that the design is composed to create an experience sign techniques by which they can be accomplished.
of beauty or pleasure focused on the stormwater. One An array of case study projects exhibit noteworthy
could argue that aesthetic richness is embedded in all techniques for creating aesthetic richness focused on
ARD goals presented here; but sometimes richness of stormwater treatment. These include a visually inter-
experience is created simply by the composition itself esting line in the water trail, a strong rhythm through
through an arresting combination of forms, colors, and repetition of stormwater-focused elements, a visual
sounds. We believe that an articulation of strategies contrast between rocks and plants, an element of audi-
that encourage attention to stormwater strictly through tory interest, and an element of tactile appeal.
compositional means is worth calling out. In broadest Visual emphasis of the linear stormwater trail is a
terms, the composition may address visual, auditory, frequent ARD technique: the line can be straight and
VISUAL INTERE ST
Point Create water collection basin as a feature or focal point
Create visual emphasis on stormwater direction change using scuppers, basins, cisterns, splash
blocks, or rain chains
Line Use downspouts, runnels, flumes, or bioswales to draw attention to the line of the stormwater
trail, enhancing legibility as well as interest and curiosity
Plane Stack horizontal and vertical planes such as pools and falls to exploit visual interest of stormwater
flowing over surfaces, plunging down planes, through weirs, or over edges
Volume Create visual interest or themes with basins that hold plants and water: sunken, raised,
orthogonal, curved, organic, geometric, small, or large
Color and Texture Contrast natural elements such as plant and rock with man-made elements, such as clipped lawn,
steel, or concrete
Juxtapose river rock and riparian grasses for compositional contrast
Axis Create stormwater trail using axial runnels, downspouts, and bioswales
Dramatize implied axis using aligned treatment systems, basins and runnels connected by the
water trail
Rhythm and Repetition Create unified design themes by using multiple bioswales, basins, weirs, ponds, or rain gardens
AUDITORY INTERE ST
Volume Create a variety of volumes by allowing stormwater to fall from various heights onto different
materials such as stone or steel
Pitch Create changes in pitch by allowing stormwater to fall on different forms such as flat block, metal
tubes, drums, and ponds
Rhythm Create different rhythms by varying the amount and rate of stormwater falling and flowing through
the treatment system
TAC T I L E I N T E R E S T
Texture Use a variety of water-related plants such as rushes and grasses
Use various water-related hardscape such as river pebbles or driftwood to provide interesting
surfaces
Wetness Allow people to touch stormwater in different forms such as flowing, falling, splashing, standing,
and sheeting, or on damp surfaces where water can soak in or evaporate
is found at the previously mentioned urban courtyard is virtually a crime. Few examples of touchable storm-
at 10th@Hoyt, where stormwater movement results in water are found in the case studies, probably due to
a symphony both during a storm and after—the lat- our contemporary fear of water that hasn’t been made
ter thanks to a cistern that detains stormwater and antiseptic by chemical treatment and the perceived
re-circulates it into fountains. At 10th@Hoyt, water liability of accessible water. But the “Cistern Steps,” a
can be heard running through flumes and corrugated stormwater feature along a block of Vine Street in Seat-
chutes, dribbling across Cor-ten fountain surfaces, tle (Carlson Architects, Peggy Gaynor, Buster Simpson,
and dropping into river stone–filled basins for up to 30 Greg Waddell), invites water interaction. Small, shallow
hours after the rain stops. (“safe”) basins and weirs cascade down the hill in a play-
Finally there is the tactile experience of water. In ful rhythm; and water is rendered particularly touch-
his landmark book and documentary film The Social able by wrapping pedestrian steps around the basins,
Life of Small Urban Spaces (1980), William H. Whyte ar- allowing passers-by to touch the water as it drops from
gued that touchable water is an asset in urban spaces, each cantilevered scupper into the basin below (Fig-
and that presenting visible water but prohibiting touch ure 19).
SUMMARY, OPPORTUNITIES, AND CHALLENGES 6. Inspire and motivate designers who are addressing
stormwater management in projects from plazas to
Every project in the study presents fascinating strate-
parking lots.
gies to transform the utilitarian task of stormwater
management into a rich experience of rainwater. We It was truly exciting for the authors to explore these
believe that the application of creative ARD strategies, innovative projects at the crest of the ARD wave. But we
such as those demonstrated by the selected projects, hope and expect the novelty of ARD to subside as this ap-
could have beneficial results that reach beyond the site- proach becomes mainstream. Evidence of this trend al-
level, to include the following: ready exists. Consider Robert Murase’s groundbreaking
1. Raise property values through amenities and so 1990 design of a biofiltration swale system in the park-
encourage developers to exceed baseline stormwater ing lot of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
management requirements; in Portland, Oregon. It was a stunning innovation at the
time but today seems nearly commonplace, as parking
2. Help municipal policy planners and design review
boards grasp the impact of stormwater management
lot biofiltration swales are now found nationwide in
as amenity, offering an impetus for regulation facilities as diverse as whole foods grocery stores and
revision; shopping malls. In our opinion, the ARD approach is
so responsive to new stormwater regulations and holds
3. Increase public exposure to, and education about,
so many benefits that we look forward to the day when
ecological stormwater design for the protection of
ARD is simply a prerequisite for good design.
aquatic systems;
This paper represents our effort to hasten ARD’s
4. Present a strategy for integrating stormwater arrival in the design mainstream. To that end, we have
management site-wide; defined the overall amenity intent of ARD, identified
5. Encourage regular maintenance of stormwater specific ARD amenity goals, and presented a wide array
management systems by making them a clear “added of project objectives and associated design techniques
value”; and for new ARD efforts. Some of the techniques may be