Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

We live in a time of disruption as a consequence of climate change. Our cities are facing
increasingly extreme weather events such as drought, more frequent rainfall and flooding.
Therefore, in order to address these challenges, urban planning and landscape design can be
utilized to find sustainable solutions and at the same time create attractive urban environments.
With this vulnerability in mind, waterside cities such as Gothenburg need to be open to
adopting new sustainable stormwater practices that use blue-green infrastructure.
In recent years, sustainable stormwater management and strategies to achieve this such as
Low Impact Development (LID) have been practiced in many urban projects. Hence, the
technical aspects of this approach are very well developed. However, from a social perspective
less attention has been given to how these systems can potentially increase the quality of life
between buildings. The integration of open storm water systems in public spaces is an area that
has a great potential for research. In addition, communication with the public about an open
stormwater design can be a challenge if the aim is not understood correctly. Pedagogical design
can be used as a tool to overcome this challenge and better inform citizens about extreme
weather events.
Through the application of research-by-design and the investigation of open stormwater
projects in northern Europe, this project aims to explore the potential for designing a similar
system for the Eriksberg area of Gothenburg.
An important outcome of this project is to demonstrate that storytelling in design can be
used as a pedagogical tool to raise awareness of environmental issues. The design proposal
introduces elements in the design area that narrate the story of a falling raindrop. These
elements integrate the technical solutions of stormwater management with the visual and
acoustic characteristics of water to create a multisensory experience. This emphasises the role
of water to represent the identity of the place. The design presents a story that highlights the
identity of the place and potentially helps visitors to understand the designer’s intention. This
will possibly encourage active participation of inhabitants.
Finally, it is crucial to have a multidisciplinary perspective when working with stormwater
projects. In addition, investment in prototyping and innovative test beds offer new possibilities
for waterside cities that explore social and artistic potential.