GRAY’S FERRY GREENsoak it up! commercial:retail retrofit

proposed design section

site analysis

proposed design plan

aero-matic wind foilsFUNCTION: generate and supply energy for owner/tenants, stormwater

management devices and community programming, dissipate unpleasant

smells and provide visual screen from adjacent land uses.

The innovative design of these Aero-matic Wind Foils generates electricity

from the plentiful wind loads present on this site. The electricity would

be truly local, clean wind energy that could generate additional revenue

for the owner. Wind will also be redirected by the Foils to prevent strong

gusts from buff eting patrons who are enjoying the plaza and green space.

Additionally, fragrant herbaceous plants and woody vegetation growing

on the mesh sides of the Foils will mitigate odor invading the site from

the nearby recycling center and create an attractive visual barrier. At the

base of the Wind Foils, a large planter serves as a water treatment area for

stormwater from the roof and adjacent paving. This palette of urban tough

natives will make a dense and colorful bio-hedge capable of absorbing

airborne pollutants, cleaning runoff and creating vital habitat.

greenline pipe plazaThe gateway leads into a green promenade that directs pedestrians safely

up to the new community plaza. Green-Pipe Plaza takes inspiration in form

from the site’s proximity to the Schuylkill River and the opportunity to raise

awareness in the community about managing water. A crescent-shaped

low berm hugs the space, off ering places for picnicking, relaxing and

gathering. An ellipse of paving, animated with rivulets of embedded solar

lights, provides 5000sf of fl exible program space for community events,

such as market days, music, arts or craft festivals, summer evening movies

on the windowless façade of the building, or simply informal neighborly

gathering. The paving is etched with a bold graphic noting the physical

distance from the Plaza to the Schuylkill River, calling attention to the River

even though it is not visible. A rain garden on the corner of the plaza

captures plaza runoff , cleans it and pipes overfl ow to the swale along the

Aero-Matic Wind Foils.

SCHUYLKILL RIVER

STEEP SLOPE

DIRECTION OF ROOF DRAINAGE

LOW ADJACENTPROPERTY

WATER FLOW

WATER FLOW FROM AREA

WATER FROM S.M.E.D.

LOW SPOTS

LOWEST POINT OF SITE

Gray’s Ferry Green presents a model for managing stormwater on a brownfi eld

through a trio of creative strategies applicable to similar sites. Brownfi elds are

a special challenge, since infi ltration is not an option. This obstacle is resolved

by moving water up instead of down; wind was the inspiration and became the

touchstone for design. Both stormwater fees and utility costs are reduced for the

owner through innovative stormwater treatment and clean, wind energy. Energy

is produced by a series of Aero-matic Wind Foils lining the property edge. The

Aero-matic Wind Foils block the odor from the adjacent recycling plant and replace

it with a pleasant smell, generate electricity using the Urban Turbine, and collect

excess stormwater from the shopping center roof. Runoff from the parking lot is

captured and pumped through wind energy up into an array of water cleansing

vessels, the Martini Towers. The third strategy – Greenline Path & River Bridge

– is multi-functional, as it provides a community space for social and cultural

engagement, wraps the retail building with a green ribbon, creates a pedestrian

scale environment for shoppers, fi lters runoff from adjacent paving, and connects

the community to the Schuylkill River and Trail.

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martini towers

1 METAL MESH

Allows Plants To Grow

Over And Create A

Hanging Garden Eff ect

And Provide Shade

2 GREEN ROOF CAP

Catches Rain Water

From Sky And Encloses

System To Prevent

Contamination

3 WATER STORAGE

4 VEGETATIVE PLATFORMS

Water Purifying

Treatment-See Detail

5 BIOSWALE

6 STRUCTURAL BANDS

Concrete

7 MEMBRANE SHOWN

See Detail

martini tower

details

1 VEGETATION

PLANTINGS

2 LIGHTWEIGHT

GROWING MEDIUM

3 FILTER

4 DRAINAGE

5 WATER PROOFING

MEMBRANE

6 CHANNELS

Allow Water To Drip

Down To Other Layers

7 THICK POROUS

MEMBRANES

Layered Between

Supports Allows

Water To Weep Onto

Plants Below

8 VEGETATIVE

PLATFORMS

• THE GREENLINE PATH

• AERO-MATIC WIND FOILS

• MARTINI TOWERS WITH CASCADING BIOFILTERS

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proposed design axonometric

proposed martini tower design

proposed aero-matic wind foil design

proposed greenline design details

proposed design perspective

“Water moves

up as wind

passes by.”

martini towersFUNCTION: clean parking lot runoff , store water suitable for irrigation, and

raise public awareness

Most stormwater management relies on horizontal space for cleaning,

storage and conveyance. Here, the Martinis cleverly clean and store water

through a vertical system, thus allowing the property owner to maintain

and maximize parking for his tenants. The Martinis purify water through a

green roof tray system, absorb rainfall over their circumference, store water

in their columns and reduce the urban heat island eff ect by shading the

parking lot. Equally important, the Martinis make stormwater management

visible to all who pass by, thus fulfi lling a critical role in educating the

public about water resources. Interpretive panels throughout the parking

lot provide detailed information about how the Martinis work, when and

where the water is conveyed, and how the quality of water in the Schuylkill

River aff ects us every day when we turn the tap on.

The Martinis are recognizable vessels intended to prompt the public to

think and re-think where our water comes from. They are scalable and

easily transferable to commercial sites across the city, residential backyards,

and any location where infi ltration is not an option. The Martinis off er

a practical solution to reduce residential and commercial runoff in the

surrounding neighborhood and city-wide.

greenline pathFUNCTION: mitigate the urban heat island using plants as passive cooling,

provide a green buff er for the parking lot, create areas for informal social-

community engagement adjacent to retail

Standing on the existing site, one has no idea the Schuylkill River is mere

yards away. Shoppers and residents of the surrounding neighborhood are

eff ectively cut off from any interaction with this vital natural resource. The

proposed design intends to highlight the river’s presence to passersby and

then guide them to its banks, as they navigate the site and its environs.

greenline river bridgeAt the end of the Greenline visitors travel up a walkway that takes them

safely over the railroad tracks towards the river. They can proceed out onto

a dias overlooking the river with beautiful views of the city skyline. Visitors

can then travel down the gently sloping walkway to the banks of the river.

This path is designed to tie into the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT) extension

planned for this portion of the river. The existing bike lane along Gray’s

Ferry makes it an ideal point of connection to the SRT.

SUSTAINABILITY GOALS

Capture And Clean Stormwater Before Sending It To The Schuylkill River

Demonstrate Ecologically Sound And Financially Feasible Stormwater

Practices For Both Business Owners And Residents

Educate Residents About Ecological Stormwater management by visually

highlighting the process of capturing and cleaning runoff

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the greenline

path details

1 SCHUYLKILL RIVER

2 OUTLOOK

3 SCHUYLKILL RIVER TRAIL

4 PATHMARK GREENLINE

1:20 Slope

5 SCHUYLKILL EXPRESSWAY

6 VIEW TO 34TH STREET BRIDGE

7 TO SCHUYLKILL RIVER TRAIL

On Greenline Path

8 BRIDGE OVER TRUCK DRIVE

9 TO LOADING DOCKS

10 TRUCK ENTRY

11 UP TO GREENLINE

12 ENTRANCE

13 PASSENGER DROP OFF

Also Grocery Pick Up

14 ONE WAY

15 PATHMARK

site plan with

key elements

(scale: 1”=100’)

1 SCHUYLKILL RIVER

2 I-76 OVERPASS

3 GREENLINE: RIVER BRIDGE

4 FUTURE SCHUYLKILL RIVER TRAIL

5 RAILROAD TRACKS

6 DRIVE FOR DELIVERY TRUCKS

7 AERO-MATIC WIND FOILS and

Roof Runoff Retention Planter/

Swale

8 SHOPPING CENTER BUILDINGS

9 GREENLINE: BIOSWALE

PLANTINGS

10 GREENLINE PATH

Path Along Storefronts/Through

Bioswales and Community

Gathering Niches

11 GREENLINE: PIPE PLAZA

12 PEDESTRIAN PROMENADE

13 CART RETURN LANE

14 BIOSWALE

15 MARTINI TOWERS

16 PLANTED MEDIAN

17 GRAY’S FERRY AVENUE

18 PEDESTRIAN GATEWAY

19 COMPLETE STREET:

Green Bioswale Buff er Along

Gray’s Ferry, Pedestrian Zone,

and Green Buff er Between

Pedestrian Zone and Parking Lot

20 29TH STREET

21 30TH STREET

22 STANLEY STREET

greenline pipe

plaza plan

1 PAVED PLAZA

±3300 SF For Zumba Class,

Craft Market, Small Farmstand,

Summer Movies On Side Of

Building, Meeting Spot For

School River Trips

2 SOLAR LIGHTS

In Pavement Flow Through The

Plaza Referencing River

3 RAIN GARDEN

Captures Runoff From Plaza,

Piped To Wind Foil Bioswale

4 GRASSY BERM

±36" Buffers Service Road

Provides Lawn Seating For

Events

5 LOW OR MOUNTABLE CURB

6 LUSH GREEN BUFFER

In Raised Planter

7 PATH TO PARKING

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VIEW TO 34TH STREET BRIDGE

EXPRESSWAY O

VERHEAD

ACCESS TO SCHUYLKILL RIVER TRAILS

CRESCENT BEACH

SCHUYLKILL R

IVER

VIEW TO CITY SKYLINE

ODOR FROM RECYCLING PLANTONE WAY TRUCKSO

NE

WAY

TRUCKS CARS CARS

PEDESTRIANS/BIKES

HIGH SPEED TWO-WAY TRAFFIC

PATH OF THE SUN

COMMUNITY SPACEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

CARS

SURFACE RUN OFF

OVERFLOW WATER FROM MARTINI TOWERS AND BIOSWALES

STORMWATER TREATMENT AREA

Taken from Schuylkill River Trail Master Plan prepared by MGA Partners, Architects August 2005 Taken from Soak it up! Commercial Retail Retrofi t Packet

Schuykill River Watershed in Relation to Project Site Gray’s Ferry Neighborhood

H20 II PROJECT TEAMApril Barkasi, Cedarville Engineering

David Carlson, David Carlson Design

Eugenia Victoria Ellis, PhD., AIA, BAU Architecture

David Kratzer, AIA, BAU Architecture

Sara Pevaroff Schuh, Salt Design Studio

Gin Smith, Breathe Design

Jennie VanDuyne, BAU Architecture

Melissa VanSlett, LEED AP ID+C, BAU Architecture