The landscape of water: From Bazalgette to SuDS in the City

Page 25

C A S E S T U DY

1. Innovative rainbow arch downspouts as gateway feature. © AtkinsRéalis

2. One of ten typical schools masterplans. © AtkinsRéalis

SuDS for Schools An AtkinsRéalis case study using SuDS in North West England. Simon Ward AtkinsRéalis with United Utilities developed an innovative ten-school pilot programme to look at primary school grounds around the North West of England, principally to help solve issues of local and wider network flooding. A straightforward process was enacted and then replicated across each school. We applied a ‘lessons learned’ experience from school to school and achieved hugely successful outcomes despite limited budgets and short programmes, with construction often limited to school holidays. In particular, the provision of ponds was discussed with schools individually due to the health and safety risks. Some welcomed it as a positive feature, accepting they would monitor access (they didn’t want fenced solutions), while others simply declined. The vision for these relatively small interventions was not only to prevent localised

network flooding through rainwater management, but to add value to the schools; inspiring curiosity about the links between nature and the weather through the subtle beautification of the school grounds. This approach delivered wellbeing, healthier spaces and increased biodiversity, whilst educating pupils about climate resilience and how creative water management can produce fun and practical spaces. The idea was to take roof and surface water and either slow the flow into the piped system, or move it altogether, into ponds, rain gardens, water butts, planters and swales. We developed innovative and playful features, which also provide visual stimulation. The key impacts and contributions of these design interventions is to help ‘slow the flow’, reduce damaging flood events, and, for very modest sums, deliver greater resilience to the local drainage network. For example, proposals included a rainbow arch, which forms the approach to one of the

2.

schools' main entrances. This diverted roof water into a rain garden via a series of coloured arched pipes, referencing the interaction of sun and water and the Covid rainbow symbol of the time, for a more hopeful future. Rain chains were also designed as well as fun downspouts, with decorative collector beds, willow shelters and domes also helping to put the ‘fun’ into the ‘fun’ctional aspects of these projects. Some schools also engaged pupils to help in the planting of their rain gardens. Our installations have delivered a host of other benefits around sustainability, which include social and educational value for pupils.

1.

25


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook

Articles inside

LI Campus

5min
pages 70-71

30th Anniversary LI Awards

2min
pages 66-67

Manufactured topsoils at the Olympic Park – a review of soil health ten years on

9min
pages 62-65

Tree planting in urban environments for flooding mitigation

7min
pages 58-61

River Cole realignment

4min
pages 55-57

Woodberry Wetlands

9min
pages 52-54

A new Ice Age

6min
pages 49-51

Landscape-led waste water infrastructure

7min
pages 44-47

Tide turners

9min
pages 40-43

Three Waves –the new landscape of Dover Esplanade

6min
pages 37-39

Sustenance in the shadows of the River Buriganga

4min
pages 35-36

Urban raingarden design

7min
pages 31-33

Sidmouth amphitheatre

5min
pages 29-30

Mytholmroyd Flood Alleviation Scheme

5min
pages 27-28

SuDS for Schools

5min
pages 25-26

Burton Washlands

3min
page 24

Steart Coastal Management Project

3min
page 23

The art of natural flood management

7min
pages 20-22

The importance of multidisciplinary design

6min
pages 17-19

SuDS Regulations

8min
pages 14-16

Redirect the flow

8min
pages 10-13

New life for the landscape of the Natural History Museum

5min
pages 6-8
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.