Community Design Centers

Community Design Centers

Community Design Centers

01/01/24

“What are community design centers?”

Top-down master planning approaches typically exclude marginalized communities from the design process. These communities can use planning and design skills to advocate against their continued exclusion. Community Design Centers fill this gap by providing technical planning design and working with communities to build a better future together. Community design center work can range from architectural design to cost estimation to project management. 

Why Absorbing Stormwater Runoff Can Prevent River Pollution

Why Absorbing Stormwater Runoff Can Prevent River Pollution

Why Absorbing Stormwater Runoff Can Prevent River Pollution

12/31/23

“Why can absorbing stormwater runoff prevent river pollution?”

Stormwater runoff can transport pollutants to nearby bodies of water, such as rivers, leading to said bodies of water becoming tainted. Implementing stormwater-absorbing solutions can prevent the movement of this waste, thereby keeping rivers clean. This is Why Absorbing Stormwater Runoff Can Prevent River Pollution

Capturing Water in Porous Concrete to Nourish Street Foliage

Capturing Water in Porous Concrete to Nourish Street Foliage

Capturing Water in Porous Concrete to Nourish Street Foliage

12/30/23

“Why should we think about capturing water in porous concrete to nourish street foliage?”

Street foliage is unable to utilize water that’s fallen on nearby impervious surfaces. But if these surfaces can become porous, then they can collect the water and feed the nearby trees. This can reduce stormwater runoff and provide extra water for plants at once. Urban planners and city officials should seriously think about Capturing Water in Porous Concrete to Nourish Street Foliage.

Compost Blanket Design Considerations

Compost Blanket Design Considerations

Compost Blanket Design Considerations

12/29/23

“What are the design considerations for compost blankets?”

Compost blankets can be very useful erosion control interventions. These will come with design considerations. These include determining if new slopes require organic materials to help with sustainable vegetation, deciding whether to use “medium” or “coarse” compost materials, looking into adding netting or hydro mulch on steep slopes, and applying treatment to sites. These are Compost Blanket Design Considerations that landscape architects and engineers have to think about in their designs.

Limitations of Compost Blankets

Limitations of Compost Blankets

Limitations of Compost Blankets

12/28/23

“What are the limitations of compost blankets?”

Compost blankets can be a beneficial landscape intervention for erosion control. But like everything, there are certain limitations to its practicality. High winds can blow away the compost and expose the underlying area. Heavy rains can also collapse the erosion control treatment. These are the Limitations of Compost Blankets.

The Benefits of Compost Blankets

The Benefits of Compost Blankets

The Benefits of Compost Blankets

12/27/23

“What are the benefits of compost blankets?”

Compost blankets can be used for landscaping and erosion control. But what are their actual benefits? Well, on top of the aforementioned qualities, they also can provide plant nutrients, temper stormwater runoff, enlarge water holding capacity and infiltration rate, conserve water, make soil biology better, and give plants a healthy growth medium. These are just some of The Benefits of Compost Blankets.

Maximizing the Performance of Compost Blankets

Maximizing the Performance of Compost Blankets

Maximizing the Performance of Compost Blankets

12/26/23

“How can we maximize the performance of compost blankets?”

Compost blankets can be a great asset to erosion management. However, there are multiple ways to help maximize its performance. We can work out a depth of around 50 millimeters per acre to the surface. We can also ensure that irrigation is installed to facilitate vegetation management, use stormwater runoff diversion devices to work out erosion, put on additional stabilizers and support practices, and meet high-performance standards. These are a few of the ways that we can work out Maximizing the Performance of Compost Blankets.

Best Places to Apply Compost Blankets

Best Places to Apply Compost Blankets

Best Places to Apply Compost Blankets

12/25/23

“Where are the best places to apply compost blankets?”

Compost Blankets can be an effective way to add erosion control to a system. But what are the best ways to implement it? Well, historical practices have shown that when compost blanket implementation is best done after any activity that disturbs the land (like construction) is completed. It’s also a good idea to do it when soil is compacted, soils need more nutrients, stormwater treatment needs to happen, and runoff volume reduction needs to occur. These are the Best Places to Apply Compost Blankets.

Compost Blankets

Compost Blankets

Compost Blankets

12/24/23

“How can we use compost for erosion control?”

Compost can be applied to many uses. But how could we apply it to erosion control? Well, what if we were to make a blanket to the soil at a depth of around 50 millimeters per acre? This would provide extra armor to the soil surface, therefore strengthening against wind, water erosion, water loss, and temperature extremification. These Compost Blankets are a wonderful way to apply landscape architecture knowledge to erosion control.