PREFACE Climate changes are affecting cities all over the world. One of the results of climate changes is increaing amounts of stormwater runoffs in the cities. Precipitation rates are increasing, more stormwater runoffs is produced, which leads to polluted water bodies, and has become a common problem in the urban environment. Human relationship to water is a paradox since we wish to be close to water, e.g. by development projects at the waterfront. Nevertheless, in a time of climate change, the awareness of water as something intimidating has increased, and we tend to treat water as a problem instead of a resource in our urban environments. This phenomenon has lead to an interest to work with stormwater management as a potential to make cities greener, add aesthetic value and contribute to a more sustainable city development, human well-being and livability. The thesis investigates and proposes a design solution using the urban landscape for stormwater management and recreation, and investigates how the combination of these may create syngergy effects that serve the city, it citizens and other co-habitants. The proposal, ’Rörsjö Canal Park’ in Malmö, combinesstormwater management with recreation. The proposal uses natural techniques in the landscape to manage the stormwater runoffs from a large catchment area, received from the city, before it is discharged into the canal. The vegetation and the water serves as aesthetic performers, and create attractions and experiences in the landscape.
towards stormwater as a resource - a design proposal for a multi-beneficial landscape along the canal in Malmö
The analytical framework of the thesis is based on an interdisciplinary approach. The role of the landscape architect and urban designer in a climate change adaptationand urbanization perspective demands an extention of the knowledge base to ensure sustainable solutions for the future. A way of rethinking the city structures is by designing multi-beneficial solutions, aiming to serve more than one purpose, believing that combinations of aspects in a design create potential synergy effects. Also, in a time where urbanization leads to densified cities, the aspect of nature as an aesthetic performer becomes even more essential to keep both cities and humans healthy. The design proposal ’Rörsjö Canal Park’ combines these aspects as a reflection of the challenges and potentials that the urban landscape holds.
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