Dealing with stormwater runoff and the pollutants it carries has been the responsibility of civil engineers for decades. But it's been suggested that planners and architects elevate this infrastructural concern to the heights of community design.
By citing case studies in Seattle and Denver, this article from Smart Growth Online proposes that the historically unglamorous task of dealing with stormwater runoff be integrated with community design to create livable, attractive and environmentally friendly places.
"The next change for creating great places is adding function to stormwater runoff management. Architects, town planners, and developers need to start imagining how a community's runoff can be harnessed to create a more inviting, dynamic, and vibrant neighborhood."
"Increasing densities regionally can better protect water resources at a regional level, higher-density development can create more site-level impervious cover, which can increase water-quality problems in nearby or adjacent bodies of water. Numerous site-level techniques are available to address this problem. When used in combination with regional techniques, these site-level techniques can prevent, treat, and store runoff and associated pollutants. Many of these practices incorporate low-impact development techniques, such as rain gardens, bio-retention areas, and grass swales. Others go further by changing site-design practices, for example, by reducing parking spaces, narrowing streets, and eliminating cul-de-sacs."
FULL STORY: Turning Stormwater Runoff into a Community Amenity
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
HUD Cuts Could Derail Mortgage Underwriting Agency
Staffing cuts at the Federal Housing Administration could imperil affordable housing projects and mortgage programs for new homeowners.
University of Hawai‘i Appoints New Architecture School Dean
The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa has named Mo Zell as the new dean of its School of Architecture, bringing over two decades of experience in academia, innovative educational programs, and industry partnerships to advance design education.
Part of San Francisco Waterfront Highway to Become Pedestrian-Only in April
Two miles of the ‘Great Highway’ will be permanently closed to cars, in part due to erosion that makes the road unsafe for vehicles.
El Paso Wastewater Purification Facility Breaks Ground
As water supplies become strained and technology advances, cities look to wastewater as a viable source of drinking water.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research