mjlipsys:

jai—me:

Janinder Bhatti
Sacrificial Flooding: The Manhattan Bluebelt

The scheme proposes the ‘Sacrificial Flooding’ of Central Park in order to deal with the increasing problem of storm water flooding in New York, which results from the increasing extremities of the climate and the cities outdated water infrastructure system. The proposal seeks to not only prevent the problem of flooding in the city but to exploit it.

A new network of city streams are implemented to collect, clean and channel storm water to Central Park which is redesigned as a blue belt at the heart of the city and an inhabitable water infrastructure. This new water source is exploited to produce microclimates, energy, food and drinking water for the inhabitants of the city. Polluted storm water is drained through the city streams to a peripheral moat, from which water is processed through bio-filtration ponds into a large water basin. Existing landmarks are retained as fragments within the water basin of the newly flooded park. Vertical gardens, forested promenades and garden gates are inserted as inhabitable water infrastructures housing both recreational and water processing facilities.

This is a timely and brilliant idea. The rendering is beautiful as well.

androblogon:

“Being smarter about how we use natural resources is in our DNA.” — Stapleton

Stapleton has come a long way since Andropogon helped prepare the 1995 Development Plan for the community, including the open space management and habitat restoration plan. Stapleton is a 4,700-acre mixed-use community, which once was an airport and is located in the High Plains ecoregion. The “smart growth” development includes residential neighborhoods, parks, schools, village shops, workplaces, and cultural venues. As a member of the core planning team, Andropogon analyzed the site’s environmental patterns, from subterranean drainage patterns to plant and wildlife communities, to develop ecological design strategies for the entire community. The open space –– more than one fourth of the site –– with park, trails and recreational facilities, combined with a cost-effective “natural drainage system” and restored native landscapes, serves as the development’s stormwater management system.

Below are some excerpts from Andropogon’s open space plan:

High Plains Drainage- Collection Swale

All swales in the main drainage system for Stapleton will be based on the naturally occurring ‘sandbar channel’ for maximum habitat establishment potential. Natural swales in this arid region are very wide and shallow and all Stapleton swales have been given ample width to accommodate the establishment of a similar natural form. During storm events, a system of meandering and braided sub-channels with sand bars is created within the body of the main channel. Different plants become rapidly established on bars forming a rich ribboning of native vegetation including cottonwoods and sandbar willows.

In Stapleton, swales may remain dry for long periods before full development occurs and increases runoff. Such swales would be initially planted with grasses and other plants suitable for the drier conditions. Some swales might be planted with the extended vocabulary of the ‘woody draw’ such as green ash, American elm and box elder This example shows a collection swale of medium size. 

High Plains Drainage- Playa Lake/Water Quality Site

The ‘Playa Lake’ is the habitat model for all of the open ponded areas on the site regardless of whether they are for storm water storage or water quality improvement although there may be structural differences depending on the specific use and location, maintenance requirements, etc. The Playa Lake is essentially an ephemeral pond that fills with water after storms. Ponds would be designed to empty in a 48 hour period to conform with storm water detention requirements, however, for habitat purposes, a shallow damp bottom would be maintained in which a meadow of rushes can be established. 

This would be achieved with several techniques used individually or in combination. One method would be to partially impound the ground water plume with a sub-surface barrier as shown. Another would be to supply the the pond with a small base flow such as that available from the Montbello drain, or other re-use sources. The basin shape would be a very shallow bowl shape that would allow lake bottom and lake fringe species to vary in their locations depending on groundwater  availability.

landscapearchitecture:

Brisbane. Brisbane’s CityCycle scheme recently announced its 200,000th ride, which sounds fantastic – until you read that the 2000 bikes in the scheme are used about 600 times a day. That means the average bike is only ridden once every four days (via Cycling | Helmets | Share bikes)

That’s not the best news, but those numbers are bound to change. People adapt to available infrastructure over time. That abundance of bicycles allows for the cycling population to grow as the process of turning drivers to riders continues.

One of Macro Sea’s interim proposals for vacant land use.  This project is simply titled “Archery”.  The rendering shows two friends on lifts facing off with bows in hand. 

It’s not a space for the faint of heart, but it is an amazing spectacle, in theory, for those of us with a taste for adventure.

Learn the five elements that form our image and spacial understanding of the city, with Kevin Lynch.

He seems very interesting.

Here is a behance page for my semester design project: http://be.net/JamesBonney 

Tree Phasing Animation!  From existing, through years one, five, ten, and twenty after installation in neighborhood nurseries.

It looks so simple, but took so much time.

Taking a break from GIS to post a screen shot of a few shapefiles I’ve been clicking into existence.

Boards from the ctriique yesterday.  Good to be done.

Another Perspective. Might just be two for this project.

Perspective.  How many more will I have time to photoshop is now the question.

50 scale plan.  Bingo.