Taking utilities beyond the utilitarian: Infrastructure as an amenity

Marita Roos ASLA Andropogon Associates LTD

Joanne Dahme Watersheds Programs Manager PWD

Allison Schapker Andropogon Associates LTD

Infrastructure: Civic Opportunity

Infrastructure is the link between people and life-sustaining resources

Infrastructure has the power to organize communities

Infrastructure is part of the evolutionary landscape

The Philadelphia Story

Collection System Statistics % Combined Sewer 60% % Separate Sewer 40% % Impervious – Citywide 47.4% % Impervious – STREETS (10,000 acres) 23% Miles of sewer 2,955 # of Street Inlets 75,000 # of CSOs 175 Annual CSO Volume 19 BG/yr Rain Events per Year 80/yr # of Stormwater Outfalls 457 Annual SW Volume 12 BG/yr

* BG = Billion Gallons

New Stormwater Regulations – Private Development

New Requirements

Flood Protection

Match Pre to Post Development

Release Rates for a Range of Events

Existing Ordinance Objectives

Channel Protection

Detain the1-yr, 24 hour storm

for24hrs

Provide Groundwater Recharge and Water

Quality Treatment

1” from Directly Connected Impervious

Area

Visibility

High

Low

Watershed-Based CSO Control Program: The City of Philadelphia

Deep Infrastructure

1. Design applications- not structures

application = systems at the service of the human condition

a structure an application

2. Ask for more

parking, stormwater management, lighting, biofiltration,

pedestrian pathway, carbon sequestration, vegetative buffer,

Beautiful.

3. Change the process

architect’s sketch

engineer’s sketch

the result

4. Think mechanically simple; ecologically complex

planting solar orientation shading devicesbuilt form

natural systems:flexiblemodularresilientadaptableefficientenergy-efficientresource-

conservative

Lower Venice Island

Ask for more:Divert three million gallons of stormwater

from the entering the Schuylkill RiverImprove connections from the island to

local businessesManage every reasonable drop of rain that

falls onto the Island Maintain two hundred parking spaces to

serve business communityImprove the facilities used by local

stakeholdersDevelop new active recreation

opportunities Improve connections to the riverImprove the Island’s ability to recover from

floodingMaintain natural quality of islandMake Island a civic space for ManayunkProvide new performing arts facilitiesDevelop safer provisions for flooding on

the IslandShowcase sustainable development

techniquesCreate access for watercraftMake a space for sporting events in

Manayunk

Change the Process

Mechanically simple, ecologically complex