A new park in Toronto includes a water treatment tower that, with artist Jill Anholt's help, creates a beautiful water feature that some say will be a catalyst for future development in the area.
Kerry Freek reports that the treatment facility "cleans collected storm and lake water with ultraviolet (UV) light. The treated water is then sent underground to the north side of the park where it is released through three nine-metre-high art sculpture towers."
Artist Jill Anholt explains the project on her website:
"Nine meter tall art elements display and celebrate collected and purified community storm water , lifting it from the ground to the sky where it falls as a textured veil of water into a channel that returns it to Lake Ontario. As people meander over bridges between the elements, integrated motion sensors trigger shifting light patterns in the water curtains, emphasizing the connection between local actions and distant effects."
Thanks to Blake Laven
FULL STORY: Light Shower Towers: Toronto's new park attempts to bring water back into the public realm
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA
The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.
Can We Please Give Communities the Design They Deserve?
Often an afterthought, graphic design impacts everything from how we navigate a city to how we feel about it. One designer argues: the people deserve better.
Southern Californians Survey Trees for Destructive Oak Pest
Hundreds of volunteers across five counties participated in the first Goldspotted Oak Borer Blitz, surveying oak trees for signs of the invasive beetle and contributing valuable data to help protect Southern California’s native woodlands.
Opinion: How Geothermal HVAC Lowers Costs, Improves Grid Resilience
Geothermal heating and cooling systems can reduce energy costs and dramatically improve efficiency.
Tenant Screening: A Billion-Dollar Industry with Little Oversight. What’s Being Done to Protect Renters?
Reports show that the data tenant screening companies use is often riddled with errors and relies on information that has no bearing on whether someone will be a good tenant.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)