Infill Philadelphia: Soak It Up! EXHIBITION
Infill Philadelphia: Soak It Up! is a design initiative created by the Philadelphia Water Department, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Community Design Collaborative to advance the next generation of green stormwater infrastructure tools and to explore how green stormwater infrastructure can revitalize neighborhoods and cities. Infill Philadelphia: Soak It Up! will continue through 2013 with a series of programs and events, including a national design competition. To launch Infill Philadelphia: Soak It Up!, the partners hosted an exhibition at the Philadelphia Center for Architecture in October 2012. The exhibition featured over 40 green stormwater infrastructure projects from Philadelphia and other U.S. cities, including Baltimore, Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. This booklet is a compilation of the projects on display and illustrates an impressive spectrum of what’s happening right now in this dynamic field. Green stormwater infrastructure tools are designed to capture stormwater—rain or melting snow—runoff close to where it lands on hard surfaces in cities and help it soak into the ground or slowly enter the sewer system. In the City of Philadelphia, this ensures that polluted water does not end up in creeks and rivers—the source of our drinking water. Examples of green stormwater infrastructure tools include rain gardens, green roofs and stormwater tree trenches. On a citywide scale and through city-wide partnerships, green stormwater infrastructure will not only help improve water quality but also improve quality of life, enhance recreational opportunities, and create more vibrant neighborhoods and business districts. In 2011, the City of Philadelphia became a national leader for its innovative approach to cleaning up the City’s streams and rivers. Green City, Clean Waters details how we can improve the health of Philadelphia’s creeks and rivers over the next 25 years and beyond, primarily through green stormwater infrastructure investments on an incremental, block-by-block scale. By capturing stormwater runoff through green tools, we can keep excess water out of our underground sewer pipes to ensure that polluted water does not end up in our waterways. Green City, Clean Waters aims to serve as a potential model for cities across the country. The projects in this booklet are only the beginning of a partnership that is sure to inspire the design and development of green stormwater infrastructure in Philadelphia and other cities.