F E AT U R E
Landscape-led waste water infrastructure We have an important opportunity to embed landscape design into everyday water infrastructure, argues a member of the National Infrastructure Commission’s Design Group. Madeleine Kessler
Years ago, navigating my way through Tokyo’s dense urban grid, surrounded by anonymous highrise towers, I stumbled across a beautiful tranquil park. The dull hum of traffic was replaced by the laughter of children playing, 1.
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a t'ai chi class below rustling trees, an elderly couple gossiping, all amongst the steady churning of water below. The park was raised, allowing glimpses into open tanks of water, visibly changing in colour and texture, reflecting pieces of the city’s skyline in different ways. Having lived in cities all my life, I realised that this was the first time I had seen a water treatment plant, sparking my fascination with the possibilities to improve both human and planetary health by integrating landscape design with heavy infrastructure.
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1. Metropolitan Board of Works map of Bazalgette’s plan for the Lines of Main Intercepting, 1865 Creator: Unknown Artist. © London Metropolitan Archives / Bridgeman Images
2. Bazalgette, The Thames Embankment, 1867 (litho) Creator: English School, (19th century). © London Metropolitan Archives / Bridgeman Images
