Artful Rainwater Design Presentation w/ COTE
Join Committee on the Environment to discuss the book Artful Rainwater Design and address critical environmental issues, such as global warming, habitat restoration, solid waste reduction, and community planning.
Eliza Pennypacker and Stuart Echols, authors of the book Artful Rainwater Design , speak about their book and engage with local stakeholders including policymakers, advocacy groups, and the local community to address environmental challenges of today. Members will to learn about the book, the research behind it, and authors’ unique approach to dealing with stormwater runoff in a design-friendly fashion.
Artful Rainwater Design is a comprehensive guide that explains how to design creative, yet practical, landscapes that treat on-site stormwater management as an opportunity to enhance site design. Artful Rainwater Design has three main parts: first, the book outlines five amenity-focused goals that might be highlighted in a project: education, recreation, safety, public relations, and aesthetic appeal. Next, it focuses on techniques for ecologically sustainable stormwater management that complement the amenity goals. Finally, it features diverse case studies that show how designers around the country are implementing principles of artful rainwater design.
RSVP by Monday, July 11.
Speaker Bios
Stuart Echols is an associate professor of landscape architecture at Penn State whose fascination with surface water systems led to his teaching focus in stormwater management. When stormwater regulations evolved to treat what is known as “first flush” (the initial, dirtiest runoff), he recognized that this treatment strategy has resulted in subtle but significant changes to urban form. Echols and coauthor Eliza Pennypacker have taught and researched stormwater management and landscape aesthetics extensively, which has given rise to their work on the topic of “artful rainwater design” (ARD). This approach to stormwater management in landscapes as both utility and as amenity is consistently informed and expanded by their work with students at Penn State.
Eliza Pennypacker is a professor of landscape architecture at Penn State whose research and teaching about the roots and significance of middle class American landscape taste led her to realize that ecological landscapes must also function aesthetically if they are to be valued and sustained. Pennypacker and coauthor Stuart Echols have taught and researched stormwater management and landscape aesthetics extensively, which has given rise to their work on the topic of “artful rainwater design” (ARD). This approach to stormwater management in landscapes as both utility and as amenity is consistently informed and expanded by their work with students at Penn State.
