Recently, experts agree that competition will be established not between states, but between cities. The role of states will weaken, the bridge will strengthen. But at the same time, their vulnerability to the effects of climate change will not decrease. How to survive when they increasingly suffer from the blows of devastating natural disasters? Paris is covered in 45-degree heat, Copenhagen is flooded, and Beijing is covered by a powerful typhoon. Ukraine is no exception here. Such cities as Kyiv, Lutsk, Lviv suffer from flooding due to heavy rains.
Semyon Polomany, founder of Zemlia architectural studio
Sustainable landscapes, the creation of which is based on the principles of ecological balance, viability and maximum self-sufficiency, will be able to help cities adapt to serious challenges. Sustainable landscapes have many benefits, for example, they regulate, collect and purify rainwater, require significantly less irrigation, more effectively regulate air quality, increase the energy efficiency of adjacent buildings, reduce the spread of invasive plant species and pests, create wildlife habitats, increase biodiversity, use ecological and recycled materials. Developed cities of the world are increasingly creating new and developing existing urban landscapes using just such principles.
At first glance, permanent urban landscapes look more like a natural environment than an urban park (Novartis headquarters, Basel. Landscape architect — VOGT)
What distinguishes permanent landscapes from traditional ones? Approach. Permanent landscapes are close to the way wildlife is organized. It is known that natural ecosystems are characterized by their resistance to complex climatic and weather conditions and fluctuations, as well as their ability to support themselves independently. Therefore, sustainable landscapes are characterized by stable plants that correspond to local natural conditions, minimization of human intervention (watering, formation of crowns), mixed plantings (many types of plants and herbs grow nearby), maximum absorption of rainwater directly on the spot. Sustainable landscapes are environmentally friendly because they require fewer resources to build and operate.
Modern cities can become more natural: for example, green corridors with wild grasses can pass through them. Displacing nature, cities occupy more and more territories, so such integration with nature will help compensate for this factor.
Sustainable landscapes, the creation of which is based on the principles of ecological balance, will be able to help cities adapt to serious challenges
Considering the fact that green lawns are quite expensive and expensive to maintain, their placement should still be limited. Wild grass meadows solve these two problems. Although they require periodic tilling of valuable varieties with the removal of weeds and invasive species, they require much less care. For example, it is enough to mow only twice a year. Depending on the composition of the plants, watering them, as a rule, is not necessary, since their composition uses grass species resistant to local conditions. Watering is necessary at an early stage, when the plants are still being accepted. In a dry period, additional watering will improve the aesthetic appearance of the plants, but it is not necessary when they have already gained strength and can grow independently. The creation of wild meadows is a popular trend in such developed cities as Rotterdam, London, Zurich and Paris. They are created in parks and open areas, as well as along sidewalks, roads, and even highways.
FIFA Headquarters, Zurich
It is also important that wild grasses are resistant even to prolonged droughts. Climate change will only increase their duration and strength, so the creation of such plantings is especially urgent. In addition, wild grasses significantly increase biodiversity, because they serve as a habitat for many insects and animals, and also contribute to the spread of bees, which are known to be on the verge of extinction around the world.
A common phenomenon in Ukrainian cities is the discharge of untreated rainwater from the streets into open reservoirs. For example, untreated water from a large part of the center and other urbanized areas of Kyiv enters the Lybid River. The stormwater treatment facilities serve only a part of the city's territory — despite the fact that some of them are technically worn out and unable to clean the water to the required level.
A common phenomenon in Kyiv's green zones is the impoverishment of vegetation, especially under trees. Seeding with wild grasses, the species composition of which in this case should be characteristic of forest landscapes, would later create a dense self-sustaining grass cover
Dirty water from the streets enters the Lybid River untreated, and then into the Dnipro
Wild grasses are resistant even to long droughts. Climate change will only increase their duration and strength, so the creation of such plantings is especially urgent
A bow made of wild herbs in London's Olympic Park
The developed countries of Western Europe and North America have long noticed the shortcomings of the centralized rainwater treatment system, so about 20 years ago they began to develop decentralized treatment systems. They provide unloading and cleaning of rainwater immediately in the blocks and on the streets and are biodrainage systems. From the outside, they look like ordinary flowerbeds, but with specific types of plants that are resistant to both overmoistening and lack of moisture. The surface of the flowerbed is made up of soil mixtures that pass rainwater well. Together with the roots, the soil serves as a natural filter for water.
Biodrainage beds on the streets of New York
Diagram of rain gardens and water runoff from the streets of New York's "green and blue" network.
1. Biodrainage (purifies the first runoff from the road before the water enters the street canals)
2. Capacity for the first runoff (located under the surface and intercepts the first runoff from the road to further direct it into the biodrainage)
3. Street channel (collects water from the catchment basin and directs it to the restored Gowanus Creek)
4. Water-permeable flower bed (collects and infiltrates water from the pavement)
The density of built-up areas in urbanized areas makes it difficult to absorb rainwater, and this becomes evident during floods. Climate changes increasingly provoke the appearance of abnormally heavy precipitation, the force and frequency of which will only increase. That is why decentralized steel rainwater management systems (sustainable urban drainage) are becoming more and more relevant. Municipalities of such cities as Berlin, Portland and New York have already developed and partially implemented programs for the reconstruction of the urban space of streets, squares and public spaces. The world is moving in the direction of creating a city permeable to rainwater, a city as a "sponge", as a natural filter.
Schemes for rebuilding the street infrastructure of New York in the area of the former Gowanus Creek
Biodrainage system of rain gardens and their appearance during rainfall on Allen Street in the municipality of State College, Pennsylvania
Paris, Boulogne-Billancourt. Part of the territory of the residential quarter serves as a collection of rainwater. When the "big water" comes, the landscape of the park changes its face. But, as before, you can walk along the paths
In Ukraine, the design of sustainable landscapes is at the initial stage of development. Individual landscape designers apply certain principles and elements of sustainable landscapes, for example, native and drought-resistant grasses, perennials. However, today it is not so common, especially if the situation concerns urban space.
However, among the organizations that focus on creating sustainable landscapes in Ukraine is Zemlia architectural studio (Kyiv). Last year, we developed a sustainable landscape project for a logistics enterprise. The majority of the territory consists of hard asphalt pavement and large areas of flat roofs of production buildings. Among the voiced demands of customers, the use of modern and ecological technologies took an important place. Formografia studio acted as the main designer of the territory concept. Knowing about the profile of our work, she approached us with an offer of cooperation.
The goal of the project was to create a solution that achieves the maximum retention and use of rainwater within the territory and its minimum runoff into the storm sewer. In addition, the project envisaged the use of mostly wild, drought-resistant grasses that require minimal care and increase local biodiversity.
In contrast to the existing situation, the project provides that water from the roofs of buildings first falls into tanks for collecting rainwater, which are installed next to the facades or underground. Water filled with them is used for watering plants. When these tanks overflow, the water flows through the overflow system and further through the near-surface trays into rain gardens with wild grasses, where it is absorbed into the soil and, accordingly, cleaned. Rain gardens are located in local catchment areas throughout the territory.
The goal of the project was to create a solution that achieves the maximum retention and use of rainwater within the territory and its minimum flow into the storm sewer
Water from one of the roofs of the enterprise fills an artificial reservoir around which a green square is created. The reservoir softens the microclimate and improves people's comfort. During heavy or prolonged rains, excess water is diverted to green terraces, which are the final stage of water absorption on the territory.
During heavy rains, water from the rain gardens through the overflow system enters the final stage of purification and infiltration — a system of 4-5-level green terraces, which are arranged in the lowest zone of the enterprise's territory. Green terraces absorb and purify excess rainwater, and also create an unusual space. Sometimes rainwater will still flow from the terraces into the storm drain, but only in extremely heavy rains.
In general, a promising landscape is effective from the point of view of creating a comfortable microclimate, the amount of green mass and biodiversity, an unusual aesthetic appearance, lower consumption of water for irrigation and resources for care, maintenance, collection and use of rainwater, almost complete absence of discharge into the city storm sewer, cleaning rainwater, as well as a positive ecological effect on the adjacent territory and the basin of the Horihuvatka River, which flows into the Lybid River.
Rain gardens in Stockholm's innovative residential area Norra Djurgårdsstaden. Photo: Iryna Isachenko
As in the past, today a person depends not only on climatic and weather conditions. She needs nature. As an environment, as a source of food and recreation. As the processes of urbanization do not stop and cities become the main habitat of the global population, sustainable urban landscapes should become a necessity rather than something special. Competition in the struggle to create better living conditions and urban space will encourage cities to more consistently and quickly implement ecological technologies when creating landscapes. In addition, permanent landscapes often have a unique and unusual appearance, a special atmosphere.
The climate crisis must push us to act now. The speed of climate change is ahead of even the most pessimistic forecasts of scientists of previous years
The climate crisis must push us to act now. The speed of climate change is ahead of even the most pessimistic forecasts of scientists of previous years. At the moment, natural ecosystems are quite stable and capable of adaptation. That is why man should use the experience of nature, accumulated over billions of years of history of the planet, and create a comfortable and safer environment in cities, despite the new challenges of the climate.
