Site Plan of the Bergen Arches
Playground SkateparkSandFilters
Upgraded Parkings
Planting Zones
Main Focus-The Arches
Circulation&Entries
All-weatherPathway Buffer EntryPlaza
Water Storage
CommunityGreenhouse&CommercialCenterUpgradedParkingLot&CommunityOpenSpace
BasketballCourt
About 50’ below its urban context, this sunken landscape is ignored by even people living next to it. To create more connections to surrounding communities and give people easy access to the Arches, I soften the southern edge of with cut and fill and created several ridges and valleys. The ridges will connect to the previous underutilized parking lots and form entries for communities. The valleys will function as bio-swales and treat runoff from those communities.
Grey & Green Infrastructure System
In this proposal, grey and green infrastructures work together to manage storm water. Underground, the old railway tunnels will be connected to the re-oriented storm drain system and become cisterns for runoff. Inside the cisterns, the gross firstflush will get a centralized treatment before getting into the irrigation system. Above ground, the landscape are terraced and planted with different species so as to absorb different pollutants from the water.
Concept Formation
Step 1: Locate underutilized parking lots
Step 2: Cut and fill to creat ridges and valleys
Step 3: Terrace the ground and plant according to soil humidity
Step 4: Lay out pathways and entries
Infrastructure Systems
Longitudinal Section of the Bergen Arches
Grey & Green Infrastructure Layout
After Normal Rain Event
After Intense Rainstorm
Planting Strategy
Shrub Buffer: Capture dust and other larger particles
Grass Mat: Infiltrate smaller particles
Deep Root Grove: Stablize pollutants
Rainfall Intensity in 100yr Rain Event= 3.0 inches/hour
Proposed Drainage Area= 870,000 ft sq
Peak Water Volume= 21,500,000 gal
Drainage
Tube
Proposed
Area
Typology
Storm Drain Pipe Sand Filter
Observation Deck
Cistern Collection Tube
All-weather Pathway
Irrigation
Working Model
Tubes for Water Management
Section Perspective 1
Tubes for Recreation Activity
Section Perpective 2
Views from Observation Deck and Pathway Tube
Termite Control Strategies
According to the studies on termite habit, the main foraging zone of termites is 10m-40m from the mound, where the soil suffers from nutrient depletion. However, the soil in the inner circle (within 10 meters from the mound) is free of foraging and stays nutrition-rich. The difference in soil condition results in completely different vegetation types. Therefore, my strategy is to create termite-repellent landscape in the outer circle, meanwhile set up symbiotic relationship between termite and plants in the inner circle.
How to live along with termites?
Mound with closed ventilation system
Inner Zone with shallow passages underlain by deep radial passages
Main Foraging Zone with network of radial and cross passages
Peripheral Zone with small passages after ending blindly
How to deal with the mounds?
Remove the mounds + Spread mound soil to enrich surrounding area
Offer adequate alternative food sources
Compost Plant Litters
Keep the mounds
+ Set up symbiotic relationships
Raize the termite resistance of the landscape
Manure
Use termite-repellent plants
Intercrop repellent and susceptible species
Rotate between repellent and sesceptible species
Build physical barrier with sand/concrete/ raised planters
1m 5m-10m 30m-40m 50m
