Kongjian Yu Has a Plan for Urban Flooding: ‘Sponge Cities’: A landscape architect in China has a surprising strategy to help manage surges of water from storms supercharged by climate change. https://lnkd.in/dwA89ad4
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The New York Times: Cities around the world face a daunting challenge in the era of climate change: Supercharged rainstorms are turning streets into rivers, flooding subway systems and inundating residential neighborhoods, often with deadly consequences. Kongjian Yu, a landscape architect and professor at Peking University, is developing what might seem like a counterintuitive response: Let the water in. “You cannot fight water,” he said. “You have to adapt to it.” https://ow.ly/S2VQ50R4Vv5 To learn more about NYC flood prevention: https://ow.ly/iSuL50R4Vyt
He’s Got a Plan for Cities That Flood: Stop Fighting the Water (Gift Article)
https://www.nytimes.com
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Inspired by this article on ‘sponge cities’, an innovative approach to urban and floodwater management utilising pragmatic design that reduces flood damages and creates ecosystem services for the city. This, and Room for the River (a separately developed similar approach in the Netherlands) open up possibilities for climate adaptation and urban renewal. #leadership #climateadaptation #floods
He’s Got a Plan for Cities That Flood: Stop Fighting the Water
https://www.nytimes.com
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"You are actually playing tai chi with nature, not boxing with nature." Yu Kongjian's projects are so elegant, many may not know how hard they're working. Where development has outpaced innovation or understanding of--& care for--natural systems, grey infrastructure has paved over these natural systems. And yet, rains become floods with nowhere to go, as rivers cannot keep up. "Instead of building the flood wall higher and higher, I removed the concrete wall and [terraced] the riverbank," planting reeds, grasses, willows, and overflow ponds. This, as with most things climate change, is a challenge of scale. (If you're not familiar with Turenscape's work, search for images of Shanghai Houtan Park and Fish Tail Park.) #naturalsystems #landscapearchitecture #climatesolutions
Making cities 'spongy' could help fight flooding — by steering the water underground
npr.org
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The most likely climate change outcome for London includes wetter winters and drier summers. Managing the higher peak run-off and prolonged periods with drought is challenging. The architectural decisions made today can prevent future flooding by managing the volume of run-off water entering drainage systems. Some examples include landscape sloping, green roofs and waterproof foundations. Need guidance on managing future flooding for a current or upcoming project? Get in touch with us today. https://lnkd.in/e6Xh5gVA #PlanningForSustainability #ClimateMitigation #UrbanFlooding #SustainableFutures #SustainableArchitecture
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Leader with purposeful focus on the natural environment, climate resilience and community in infrastructure. (My views are my own and I do not speak on behalf of my employers or affiliations)
Love this! Innovative approaches to building for climate change, using abundant fast replenishing natural resources (bamboo), enabling buildings to be moved or accomodate flood waters or building protection structures from natural materials. How could this look in other places? with different communities? and how could building planning and regulations accomodate it? #climatechange #community #resilience #naturebasedsolutions
An architect has found a way to build flood-proof homes
stuff.co.nz
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In response to the increasing flood risks faced by many of China's cities, landscape architect Yu Kongjian has championed the concept of "sponge cities." These are urban areas designed to absorb and redirect water, mimicking natural processes rather than relying on traditional "gray infrastructure" like concrete. Yu's approach involves restoring wetlands, terracing riverbanks, and using permeable pathways. While the idea has been gaining traction in China, with support from Chinese leader Xi Jinping, its efficacy has been questioned, especially after severe flooding events. Critics argue that the scale of implementation is insufficient to handle extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change. Yu contends that the primary challenge is changing the prevailing mindset that trusts concrete and technology as the primary solutions to flooding. https://lnkd.in/gGyNgFXz #urbanplanning #civicdesign #climatechange #landscape
Making cities 'spongy' could help fight flooding — by steering the water underground
npr.org
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Everyone can act to protect climate and nature. Picture source: biodiversitystripes.info and LPI 2022. Living Planet Index database. 2022. And this is only vertebrae loss!
Like doing tai chi with water "“You cannot fight water,” he said. “You have to adapt to it.” Instead of putting in more drainage pipes, building flood walls and channeling rivers between concrete embankments, which is the usual approach to managing water, Mr. Yu wants to dissipate the destructive force of floodwaters by slowing them and giving them room to spread out. In addition to flood control, these projects have the advantage of being an inexpensive way to recharge local aquifers and a low-tech adaptation to help overheated city neighborhoods, because evaporating water has a cooling effect." "“Sponge cities isn’t a total solution, but it makes a significant impact,” Mr. Beardsley said. “I mean, we need to start doing something.”" #climate #adaptation #NatureBasedSolution #flood https://lnkd.in/eZ8sXhcA
He’s Got a Plan for Cities That Flood: Stop Fighting the Water
https://www.nytimes.com
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Sponge cities are urban areas that use natural features to absorb rainwater and prevent flooding. They mimic natural processes by using green infrastructure techniques to store and purify water, such as: Permeable pavements: Allow rainwater to seep into the ground, which reduces surface runoff and replenishes groundwater Green roofs: Covered with vegetation, these roofs absorb rainwater and slowly release it Wetlands: Natural areas that can soak up water Rain gardens: Another natural area that can absorb water Bioswales: Another natural area that can absorb water. Sponge cities can also be more resilient to drought because they can hold more water in rivers, soil, and greenery. Some cities that are becoming more spongey include Shanghai, New York, and Cardiff. Rainwater Absorption and Retention: Sponge cities are designed to absorb and retain rainwater, reducing the volume of water that flows into drainage systems during heavy rainfall. Sponge cities are able to soak up excess water and release it more slowly back into rivers and water systems. Climate change is already having an impact on our weather systems, bringing about more flooding and heavier rainfall, as well as droughts. Sponge cities were popularized in modern China in an effort to combat a national water crisis caused by severe water shortages in some urban areas and severe flooding in others. It is thought that sponge cities can alleviate too much water by absorbing the excess. Cities can be planned to 'make room for the rain' and allow fallow spaces to become temporary thriving wetlands or even green recreational spaces that can hold excess flood water, while contributing to other benefits such as boosting overall livability and acting as carbon sinks. These wetlands act as natural sponges, absorbing and holding excess rainwater during heavy downpours. Additionally, they offer recreational spaces for residents, promote biodiversity, and improve air quality. Sponge Cities are also beneficial for water quality. An equal benefit of sponge cities is that they can hold more water in rivers, greenery and soil instead of losing it to evaporation, meaning they are more resilient to drought. Natural ways to absorb urban water are about 50% more affordable than man-made solutions, and are 28% more effective ...
How China is designing flood-resistant cities
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A recent research by Nature reveals a concerning global trend: a significant surge in urban development within flood-prone areas. Settlements in high flood-risk zones have seen a remarkable 122% increase between 1985 and 2015!!! This growth in flood-prone areas is happening faster than in safer places, and it brings more dangers and costs linked to climate change. Especially in East Asia and the Pacific, where vulnerability is high at 18.4%, it's crucial to take quick action and plan cities wisely to deal with these challenges. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gn3zRtSV & Join the call for #sustainable urbanization! 🌍🏡 #ClimateChange #UrbanDevelopment #ResilienceBuilding #autodesk
Flood-prone areas are hotspots for urban development
nature.com
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Smart urban planning in times of climate change must include more green space - including "sponge parks" to absorb flood waters https://lnkd.in/gb4G2Q2y
'Sponge cities': An absorbing idea in the face of climate change | CBC News
cbc.ca
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