Abstract
Climate change gives rise to more extreme weather conditions, resulting in more frequent and heavier storms. Therefore especially dense city centers need comprehensive stormwater management solutions. Integrating these solutions in existing city fabric is nevertheless a difficult task and at present many cities take measures to try to solve stormwater issues in public space and on public land. How to engage private development in a comprehensive stormwater management plan remains a difficult question.
This paper presents two design cases where stormwater management is integrated comprehensively in private inner-city redevelopment projects. The two cases show how the parallel design of the architectural project and the adjacent public space achieve an intensive cycle of stormwater management through stormwater reuse and integration of a buffering waterbody as an amenity for the public realm.
The detailed description of the cases clarifies the design decisions made regarding architecture and landscape that led to the high quality of the stormwater solutions. Not only the general design decisions, but also the technical aspects of the project are discussed. The administrative prerequisites will be touched upon to clarify the relation between private investment and public regulations.
The two European cases discussed are Clarenhof in Mechelen, Belgium and Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany. The project Melaan in Mechelen is shortly mentioned as a interesting side-note to the Clarenhof project to illustrate the actions taken by the City of Mechelen to reopen the old ‘Vlieten’ in the city.