Stormwater management conceived as amenity: The application of artful rainwater design

The concept of "artful rainwater design" is based on the premise that new stormwater management techniques focusing on non-point source pollution, water balance, and small storm hydrology can also be used to create new site amenities. These designs can result in greater user satisfaction and perceived value - i.e. design that not only addresses stormwater management in better ways, but also transforms these management systems into site design assets. These new stormwater requirements present significant amenity design opportunities that deserve to be recognized and exploited. This paper presents specific design techniques, grounded in case study of 21 selected projects across the U.S., to transform stormwater management into experientially rich artful rainwater design.