Traditional Handling of Surface Storm Water

Site grading can be approached in a number of ways, ranging from an art form to a means of solving practical physical problems. The ultimate grading plan is one that integrates art and practical requirements. The landscape grounds at Parc de Sceaux, Paris, accomplish both. In Figure 14.5, the artful carving and shaping of an existing landscape into an expansive, terraced parkland make this garden a visual pleasure. Underlying the creative approach that went into manipulating the landscape to create such a grand view, André Le Nôtre, the designer of Versailles, manipulated the ground form in subtle ways to disperse surface water to either side of terraced lawns. The designer not only accomplished the creation of a beautiful scene, but also solved the dispersal of surface water without compromising the smooth transition of the terraced panels of lawn to the tree-lined frame. The subtleness of the rolling topography and the efficient dispersal of storm water were achieved through contour grading.

One of the more common grading strategies for placing a building or structure in the landscape is to set its finish floor elevation on high

Figure 14.5 Parc de Sceaux, André Le Nôtre, Paris, France Figure 14.6 Building set on high ground so surrounding pavement slopes away to direct water away from the building on the J. Paul Getty Museum campus in Westwood, CA