900 街区雨水花园丨美国列克星敦丨Gresham Smith

The Rain Gardens at 900 Block｜Gresham Smith

项目概述

PROJECT STATEMENT

900 街区雨水花园的设计值得嘉奖，原因在于：设计为人们打造了一种身临其境的绿色基础设施体验，堪称一座真正的雨水“花园”。项目资金来自拨款资金投资，倡导在更大范围内改善城市生态和雨水系统。设计采用了三重底线的方法对场地进行雨水管理改造，使场地之外的社区也能够受益。建筑师采用了本地植物来绿化场地，并尽量减少绿植的维护。项目利用奖金拨款来改善场地的雨水管理功能、提升了场地价值，并创造出社交空间。设计展示了即使在狭小的场地内，也能够以创造性的方式打造出高质量、高可持续性，并以弹性为重点的景观。

The Rain Gardens at 900 Block is award-worthy because:

The design approach resulted in an immersive green infrastructure experience, a true rain “garden.”

The entrant secured grant funds to invest in the property while advocating for improving urban ecologies and stormwater systems on a larger scale.

The entrant took a triple-bottom-line approach for stormwater retrofits to benefit the community beyond the property lines.

The entrant greened the site with native plants and minimized maintenance. The utilization of incentive grant dollars to improve stormwater functionality, site value and social spaces showcase how to creatively implement high-quality sustainability and resiliency-focused landscapes even at small scales.

▲900 街区雨水花园：900 街区利用赠款资金来改善场地的问题，并以更长远的眼光改善了城市生态和场地的雨水系统，The Rain Gardens at 900 Block: 900 Block leveraged grant funding to address client site issues and advocate for a larger agenda to improve urban ecologies and stormwater systems. © Gresham Smith

项目说明

PROJECT NARRATIVE

900 街区雨水花园项目是建筑师与业主多年合作的成果，该项目旨在通过当地的补助资金，树立一套沉浸式低影响开发（LID）设施的新标准。900 街区位于 Cane Run 流域，雨水流向肯塔基州乔治敦，影响着该镇的水源。场地地块位于一所小学对面，附近有大量步行人流，该区域的排水问题导致了洪涝和多模式出行的安全隐患。

该地块面积为 0.5 英亩，其中 70%为不透水地面，开放空间无法获得有效的利用。项目团队认为 900 街区是市政雨水激励计划的理想示范点，鼓励业主在自己的资产上投资 LID 的补助计划。基于对可持续和韧性设计的承诺，团队向业主提出申请公共补助金的建议，承诺该项目不仅能够为业主资产本身带来投资回报，还能在更大范围内惠及列克星敦市。

该项目利用公共补助资金，既解决了业主的问题，又推动了改善城市生态和雨水系统的更大议程。最终，团队获得了资金，实现了对场地的改造，改善了场地的雨水系统、减少了洪涝的风险，同时通过本地植物、社交空间和教育标识丰富了场地。可惜的是，虽然该项目在很大程度上符合 SITES 认证标准，但由于资金来源于地方补助，预算不足以支持项目的认证计划。

该项目为城市提供了一个具有创新性的、高质量、以韧性为核心的景观设计的典范。其独特和标志性的特征包括：

沉浸式绿色基础设施：尽管弹性基础设施是设计的首要任务，但设计愿景旨在将绿色基础设施构想为一种沉浸式的景观体验，打造一座真正的“雨水花园”。通过定制的生态植物和沿着水道布置的本地植物，项目展示出了雨水基础设施的创新设计方法。

公众教育：团队设计了双语解说标志，以介绍项目及其益处，并策划了一场公共步行游线路，展示了该地区其他雨水补助项目。团队还为业主编制了一份维护手册，以便业主团队能够对项目进行长期的维护。

成本效益设计：通过当地的拨款计划来撬动公共资金意味着项目团队必须开发出经济实惠的设计。与绿色基础设施相关的建设成本对节约整体预算有着很大的贡献。通过使用资源高效的材料，如现浇混凝土和小型景观植物，使最终项目既具成本效益，又实现了设计团队设定的目标。

本地景观：设计优先考虑了本地景观植物，并精心选择了具有季节性观赏价值的植物品种，包括：植物的形态、花朵和色彩。团队还制定了一个景观计划，采用群植和有序排列，营造出一个构图整齐、易于维护的景观。

通过选择适应极端条件的本地物种，项目的设计最小化了景观的维护需求，无需设置任何灌溉系统。900 街区展示了如何通过改造现有住宅场地，在小规模上实现为社区、业主和租户增值的可持续、具有互动性且美丽的景观设计。

▲水上漫步：身临其境的雨水体验。

该项目成功地创造了优美的雨水观景，同时也是功能性的便利设施，The Water Walk: An Immersive Stormwater Experience. The project successfully created functional stormwater features that double as amenities. © Gresham Smith

▲被忽视的场地机会：场地周边坐落着公交车站、公共人行道，以及一所小学，附近有大量步行人流，因此，项目的设计在更广泛的社区范围内有着重要的影响，Opportunities in a Neglected Site: Located near a bus stop, public sidewalks and an elementary school with a significant walk-up population, the project impacts the greater community. © Gresham Smith

▲现有的雨水条件所产生的安全和水管理问题。设计团队对场地进行了细致的评估，以了解雨水问题和场地适用性，Existing Stormwater Conditions Created Safety and Water Management Concerns. The design team developed a robust site assessment to understand the stormwater issues and the site suitability. © Gresham Smith

▲愿景：设施和雨水的综合规划。在雨水管理的框架内，设计减少了停车场地，引入了步行设施和植物原生景观，The Vision: A Comprehensive Plan for Both Amenities and Stormwater. Within the framework of stormwater management, the design reduces parking, introduces pedestrian amenities and plants native landscape. © Gresham Smith

▲实施：移除硬质路面，恢复自然生态。

通过移除大量的车辆空间，该项目整合和恢复了本地景观，改善了场地微气候和栖息地。

The Execution: Removing Pavement and Restoring Natural Processes.

By removing significant vehicular space, the project integrated and restored native landscapes, improving microclimates and habitat.

© Gresham Smith

▲通过基础设施营造场所感：住宅后面的地面以前以砾石为主，如今则变身为无缝开放空间的延伸，有齐平的路缘、草地和灌木，A Sense of Place by Way of Infrastructure: Previously a gravel lot, the space behind the homes is now an extension of the seamless open space with a flush curb, grasses and shrubs. © Gresham Smith

▲鼓励舒适、安全和参与感：曾经的砾石车道，如今变身为新的户外休息空间，为居住者带来了舒适与参与感，Encouraging Moments for Comfort, Safety and Engagement. Once a gravel driveway, the new space now offers space for tenants to engage and for outdoor respite. © Gresham Smith

▲优质设计带来了成本效益：具有成本效益的花园特色包括：现浇混凝土和不锈钢元素，以及本土植物，Efficient Fabrication Created by Quality Design: Cost-effective garden features include cast-in-place concrete and stainless steel stock items planted with regionally sourced material. © Gresham Smith

▲鼓励多模式出行方式：设计重新设想了租户利用共享开放空间的方式。自行车架和与人行道的连接鼓励了多模式出行方式，Improving Multimodal Connectivity: The design reimagined how tenants could utilize the shared open space. Bike racks and connection to sidewalks encourage multimodal transportation. © Gresham Smith

▲公众教育：项目中的教育材料，包括：位于现场的双语标志、营运及维修计划手册，及社区雨水漫步小册子，Public Education: Educational items include on-site bilingual signage, an Operations and Maintenance Plan manual and a community Stormwater Stroll pamphlet. © Gresham Smith

▲安全美丽的社区效益：改造项目提升了租赁房屋的吸引力和功能性景观，并为社区提供了更安全的人行道，Safe and Beautiful Community Benefits: The transformative project elevates the rental homes with an attractive and functional landscape, and provides a safer sidewalk for the community. © Gresham Smith

▲原生植物创造出视觉的喘息：生物沼泽花园沿着住宅的正立面延伸，为步行，骑自行车和开车路过该场地的人们提供了视觉上的享受，Native Plants Offer Visual Relief: Along the frontage, the bioswale gardens are on display to those walking, biking and driving by the block. © Gresham Smith

▲项目惠及下游社区：900 街区位于 Cane Run 流域，该流域流向肯塔基州的乔治城，影响了居民的饮用水源——皇家泉含水层（Royal Spring Aquifer）。Project Benefits Communities Downstream: 900 Block is in the Cane Run Watershed that drains towards Georgetown, Kentucky, impacting residents’ drinking water source, the Royal Spring Aquifer. © Gresham Smith

▲改造已退化且没有价值的场地：项目修复了场地内的建筑，并重新塑造了已退化的场地特征，A Degraded Site with Little Value: The project rehabilitated on-site buildings and redeveloped the degraded site features. © Gresham Smith

PROJECT NARRATIVE

The Rain Gardens at 900 Block is the result of years of collaboration with the property owner to strategically pursue local grant funding to set a new standard for immersive Low Impact Development (LID) installations. The 900 Block is in the Cane Run Watershed and drains towards Georgetown, Kentucky, impacting the town’s water source. Located across the street from an elementary school with a significant walk-up population, this property contributed to flooding issues and multi-modal safety issues due to drainage.

The property is 0.5 acres and was 70% impervious with unusable open spaces. The project team identified 900 Block as a strong candidate for the city’s Stormwater Incentive Program, a grant that encourages property owners to invest in LID on their property. With a commitment to sustainable and resilient design, the team approached the client about applying for the public grant, showcasing how they could invest in the property site itself, while also benefitting the city of Lexington on a larger scale.

The project leveraged public grant funding to address the client’s issues while advocating a larger agenda for improving urban ecologies and stormwater systems. Ultimately, the entrant secured grant funding to retrofit the site to filter stormwater and reduce flooding, while also enriching the space with native plants, social spaces and educational signage. The project aligns heavily with the SITES criteria, however, given that it is funded by local grant dollars, the budget would not support the accreditation program.

The project is a model for the city for how to creatively implement high-quality and resiliency-focused landscapes. Unique and defining features include:

Immersive Green Infrastructure: While resilient infrastructure was a top priority, the design vision imagined green infrastructure as an immersive landscape experience, a true rain “garden.” This placemaking approach to stormwater infrastructure is showcased with the use of custom bio-planters and native plantings along the water walk.

Public Education: The team designed bilingual interpretive signage explaining the project and its benefits as well as curated a public walking tour of other stormwater grant projects in the area. The team also developed a maintenance manual for the owner, handing off the project to their crew to maintain it long-term.

Cost-Efficient Design: Leveraging public funding by way of a local grant program meant the project team had to develop an economical design. The construction costs associated with the green infrastructure significantly contributed to the overall cost. Using resourceful materials like poured-in-place concrete and smaller landscape plugs allowed the final project to be cost-efficient and still achieve the goals set by the design team.

Native Landscapes: Native landscape materials were prioritized and the plant palate carefully considered species that maintained seasonal interest with form, flower and color. Additionally, the team developed a landscape plan and palate that used massing’s and order to create a composed, controlled and easy-to-maintain landscape.

The team planned for minimal maintenance and no irrigation, selecting native species that are hardy to extreme conditions. 900 Block showcases how the team’s strategies to retrofit the existing residential site increased the property value for the community, owner and tenants with sustainable, interactive and beautiful landscapes, even at a small scale.

Project Credits

Landscape Workshop, Contractor

Louis Johnson, ASLA; Patrick Henry, ASLA; Erin Masterson, ASLA; Jared Kaelin, ASLA, Gresham Smith Landscape Architects