Eco China Sponge Cities

After more than two centuries of hiding water in pipes we are now beginning to appreciate a lost asset and are daylighting rainfall in the landscape wherever possible to manage it in more creative ways that mimic nature. This movement has various names around the globe including: Sustainable Drainage Systems or 'SuDS' in the UK; Water Sensitive Urban Design or 'WSUD' in Australia; Integrated Water Management or 'IWM' in the US; and Sponge Cities in China. A collection of 29 landscape projects in China focusing on the 'sponge city' motif, categorised into four chapters; Urban Parks, Commercial + Residential Spaces, Waterscapes, and Wetlands. It is believed that the core of sponge city design lies in the effective management of rainwater. In these projects, the subject of rainwater management is explored in depth, including specific solutions to problems such as storage, filtration, purification, utilisation and drainage. Practical gestures in sustainable landscaping are fully covered, such as the selection of pervious paving materials, design and construction of underground reservoirs, bio-swales, green roofs, and rain gardens.