Integrating placemaking concepts into Green Stormwater Infrastructure design in the City of Philadelphia

Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) is a sustainable way to manage urban stormwater. GSI projects are usually designed with little or no community involvement and provide mostly environmental and some economic benefits—if designed effectively, constructed properly, and maintained regularly. GSIs in neighborhoods viewed as vulnerable or with a significant presence of disinvestment, however, rarely serve as placemaking projects offering social benefits such as recreational and community-building opportunities for residents. This article explains the process of planning and designing GSIs with a dual agenda: stormwater management and placemaking. The planning process used Geodesign and Community Design methods. This endeavor engaged community residents, stakeholders, and environmental professionals focusing on two vacant lots in a Latinx neighborhood of the City of Philadelphia, USA. The resulting site plans show that blending unique design elements derived from dual functionalities and multiple methods is possible through a collaborative design process. This article argues that integrating placemaking concepts into GSI design processes may have a broader appeal to communities viewed as vulnerable or with a significant presence of disinvestment.