aesthetics - a portfolio of pleasing infrastructure

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©1996, 1997, 1998 W James

updated 1998-03-05

 Notice:
I would like to provide in these pages, for free use of students, a large portfolio of illustrations of better design practices for urban water systems. The idea is to encourage more pleasing and natural designs. If you can contribute to this evolving collection, please email me photos (JPG) and drawings. Also, if you have further details of the designs illustrated here, please email them to me.

Contents:

  1. Notes on sources.
  2. Related links.
  3. Manhole covers.
  4. Water towers.
  5. Hydrants.
  6. Spillways
  7. Stormwater inlets and outlets.
  8. Trashracks.
  9. Stormwater inlets and outlets.
  10. Stormwater channels and swales.
  11. Stormwater wet and dry ponds.
  12. Wetlands.
  13. Permeable pavement
  14. Markers, stencils, notices.

1. Notes on sources:

Here I have deliberately provided poor quality small cropped snippets, to whet your appetite, and help promote the books used. Please refer to the original books, which have many more excellent reproductions, and all the details that you need. Better still: buy your own copies of the books!

Some 5 or 6 pictures of open stormwater channels are taken from:
W. Geiger and H. Dreiseitl, Neue Wege Für Das Regenwasser, Handbuch zum Rückhalt und zur Versickerung von Regenwasser in Baugebieten, Oldenburg Verlag, 1995. ISBN 3-486-26259-9

6 manhole covers are taken from:
Mimi and Robert A. Melnick, MANHOLE COVERS, MIT Press, 1994. ISBN 0-262-13302-4

20 water towers are taken from:
Bernd and Hill Becher, WATER TOWERS, MIT press, English ed. 1988 ISBN: 0-262-02277-x.

Unless otherwise stated all other illustrations are by W James. Many of them were taken during my last sabbatical as a visiting scholar at the U of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

2. Links:

Water fountains as works of art, from U of Arizona Institute of Water Resources.

The #1 fire hydrant info source: http://firehydrant.org/

A super web-site much better than this on all forms of aesthetic water infrastructure, in Swedish, the Scania (S. Sweden) Water Tower Society 

Water Towers of the World, mostly US 

Netherlands Water tower Society, mostly in Holland 

A personal website of pictures of water towers of Sweden 

Water Towers photographed on the Trans-Siberia railway 

Another personal collection of images of water towers of various regions of Sweden 

A Russian web-site now international dedicated to manhole covers

Roland Muhler's black and white photos of manhole covers 

Bill's portfolio:

Here are some illustrations of engineered infrastructure that I happen to find both better-than- and worse-than -average (this collection will be elaborated from time to time):

3. manhole covers.

  1. Custom manhole covers
  2. Manhole cover in Oslo. Thanks to Swedish water tower society
  3. Manhole cover in Stockholm, ca 1995. Thanks to John Runciman and Donna McMillan, colleagues at U of Guelph.
  4. Manhole cover (sanitary?) for Boston, new in 1999. Thanks to Laura Brown, grad student at U of Guelph.
  5. Square manhole cover for sanitary sewer, Pafos, Cyprus. Mar.2000
  6. Inlaid double rectangular manhole covers, Pafos harborfront, Mar 00
  7. Manhole cover for Jefferson County, Alabama, new in 1999. Thanks to Season Youngblood, grad student at U of Alabama in Birmingham.
  8. Ring manhole cover, I think I snapped this in Adelaide, Oz., 1998.
  9. From Salzburg, Austria. photo: Dianne Caton, 1999.
  10. From Magdeburg, Germany. photo: Gord Hayward Aug 1999.
  11. From San Francisco, designed by Edwin H Ford, of the Ford Meter Box Co which started in 1898 (this cover now available as trivets and wall hangings)
  12. From Los Angeles, California, dates from 1930s.
  13. From Beaumont, Texas, dates from 1950s.
  14. From Seattle, Washington, designed by Nathan Jackson 1976, from Tlingit whale motifs.
  15. From Seattle showing street layout, designed by Anne Knight 1977, installed oriented due North, as an aid to citizens.
  16. From Louisville, Kentucky, undated.
  17. Four inlaid brick manhole covers in one stainless steel frame, downtown Hong Kong on a busy sidewalk, 1997.
  18. Malmoe, Sweden, with the City's crest. 1996.

4. water towers.

  1. Weil am Rhein, Germany. Steel rivetted.
  2. From Leeds, England. Steel rivetted.
  3. From Bloomdale, OH. Steel rivetted.
  4. From New York, NY. Wood stave, hoop bolts.
  5. From Sezanne, Marne, France. Rivetted steel on masonry.
  6. Frankfort, Germany. Steel (probably) inside brick.
  7. From Mannheim, Germany. Rivetted steel (probably) inside brick, in formal park gardens.
  8. From Montabaur/Westerwald, Germany. Rivetted steel (probably) in tudor-framed brick on masonry.
  9. From Wittingen, Niedersachsen, Germany. Rivetted steel (probably) in wood trim on brick.
  10. From Kaiserslautern-Einsiedlerhof, Germany. same.
  11. From Circle City, NJ. Welded steel.
  12. From Findlay, Ohio. same.
  13. From St.Jean-de-Velas, Herault, France. concrete.
  14. From Moglingen/Stuttgart, Germany. concrete.
  15. From Dole, Jura, France. concrete.
  16. From Lens, Pas-de-Calais, France. concrete.
  17. From Arras, Pas-de-Calais, France. Dual pressure concrete.
  18. From Villers-Carbonnel, Somme, France, 1967.
  19. From Templaux/Namtur, Belgium, Triple matching towers in concrete.
  20. From Essen-Byfang, Germany, concrete.

5. hydrants.

  1. Winnie the Pooh, 1999, snapped on the trans-Canada highway somewhere near the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border.
  2. Hydrant island protection from traffic, Chisasibi, N. Quebec, 1998.
  3. Another hydrant island protection from traffic, Chisasibi, N. Quebec, 1998.
  4. Electric heated outdoor hydrant, Radisson, N. Quebec, 1998.
  5. Detail, electric heating outdoor hydrant, Radisson, N. Quebec, 1998.
  6. Hydrant in a winterized unlocked shed, Radisson, N.Quebec, 1998.
  7. Detail, hydrant in a winterized unlocked shed, Radisson, N.Quebec, 1998.
  8. Guelph hydrant in a snow bank, 1999.
  9. HongKong downtown street highrise water system uses seawater for flushing and fire fighting, 1997.
  10. Fire hydrant, HongKong (detail), 1997.   (smaller image)
  11. Similar, located on a freeway!
  12. Fire hydrant, HongKong temporary connection with water meter to construction site, 1997.
  13. same, enlargement.
  14. Simple elegant 100 mm hydrant, downtown Hong Kong on a busy road at an intersection, 1997.
  15. Simple 100 mm hydrant, downtown Hong Kong on freeway offramp, poorly located as evidenced by damaged stop valve, 1997.
  16. From a Canadian illustrated newspaper ca.1850, featuring T.C.Keefer, showing hydrants as a principal product.
  17. Same, detail.
  18. Original hydrant from 1859, Hamilton Water Works. Designed by Thomas Coltrin Keefer. Uses a chamber below with a cast iron manhole cover on a cut limestone capstone. 
  19. Detail, showing manhole cover (HWW, 1859)
  20. Detail from an original drawing by TCK.
  21. Another, simpler design.
  22. A proposed design from a bid for the original HWW, ca. 1854.

6. spillways

LABYRINTH SPILLWAYS TO INCREASE SPILLWAY CAPACITY

source: http://www.usbr.gov/wrrl.

Reclamation [USBurec] has used labyrinth spillways on existing dams where the discharge capacity of a spillway is insufficient or where a reservoir must be enlarged. Research on the labyrinth spillway concept produced design criteria that were applied to augment the spillway capacity at Ute Dam on the Canadian River, New Mexico, and generated significant savings in field construction cost. Ute Dam spillway was constructed for $10 million, a $24 million cost savings over the estimated $34 million cost for a traditional gated structure. Houston (1982) described laboratory sectional flume studies and a 1:80 scale model of the full labyrinth spillway, claiming that the 9-m-high, 14-cycle spillway had a length magnification ratio of 4 and a flow magnification ratio of 2.4.

 

7. trashracks.

  1. structural plastic trash racks and debris cages for storm water management basins and pond structures

8. stormwater inlets and outlets.

  1. HongKong downtown street shopping scene shows distinct requirements for regular and frequent (twice daily?) street cleaning by flushing (probably seawater), 1997.
  2. Slotted drain, HongKong downtown stopping lane, 1997.
  3. Four gutter inlets in series, downtown Hong Kong on a busy road at an intersection, 1997.
  4. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond outlet, dam wall is a walkway. 1994.
  5. Ann Arbor, MI. same stormwater pond outlet, view from pond. 1994.
  6. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond outlet as a road culvert, from downstream. 1994.
  7. Ann Arbor, MI. converging stormwater outlets as road culverts, 1994.
  8. Ann Arbor, MI. same stormwater outlets, detail. 1994.
  9. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond outlet, features walkway bridge. 1994.
  10. Ann Arbor, MI. same stormwater pond outlet, from downstream. 1994.
  11. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater outlet, with natural riprap. 1994.
  12. Ann Arbor, MI. same stormwater outlet, detail of wood wingwalls. 1994.
  13. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond inlet, usually underwater. 1994.
  14. Ann Arbor, MI. dual stormwater outlets, oval corrugated steel pipe. 1994.

9. stormwater channels and swales.

  1. The next 6 stormwater best management photos were taken at two neighboring commercial properties on Sequoia Parkway, in Tigard (suburban Portland), Oregon, by Claudia Zahorcak of CH2M HILL czahorca@ch2m.com , in February 2000. John Barleycorn’s is a brew pub with extensive stormwater management areas that look like small wetland areas. They have combined the landscaping requirement with the stormwater detention requirement. BARLEY1.jpg  is of the front showing the vegetation in winter.
  2. BARLEY2.jpg shows the downstream control structure which is hidden in the bushes. 
  3. BARLEY3.jpg is also of the front showing the vegetation in winter.are photos
  4. BARLEY4.jpg is upstream, between the pub and the Home Depot, showing how flow from the parking lot and the area between the two properties is contained in a grassy swale, then directed under the lot entrance to the upstream area of the vegetated filter shown in BARLEY1 and 2. Note how the lot and the swale are lower than the street level; flow does not drain to the street.
  5. HOMEDEP1  shows the Tigard Home Depot’s front stormwater management area. This swale did not function well as first designed and was redesigned by Mike Faha of Greenworks, mikef@greenworkspc.com
  6. HOMEDEP2 is the same.
  7. Markplatz, Baienfurt. An all-weather fountain-sculpture with shallow channel in permeable pavement. (Geiger and Dreiseitl)
  8. Markplatzgestaltung und Rathaustreppe, Hattersheim. A water fall sculptured into town hall steps with shallow channel in permeable pavement. (Geiger and Dreiseitl)
  9. Markplatzgestaltung und Rathaustreppe, Hattersheim. Same (detail) water fall sculptured into town hall steps with shallow channel in permeable pavement. (Geiger and Dreiseitl)
  10. AWK-Verwaltung, Koblenz. Naturalized spillway from a retention basin. (Geiger and Dreiseitl)
  11. Documenta Urbana, Kassel. A naturalized channel in stone. (Geiger and Dreiseitl)
  12. private house, Copenhagen. A naturalized stormwater pond backyard in stone. (Geiger and Dreiseitl)
  13. Hameau de la Fontaine, Echallens (Switzerland). A naturalized stormwater pond, grasses and stone. (Geiger and Dreiseitl)
  14. Ann Arbor, MI. open swale ditch for parking lot, 1994.
  15. Ann Arbor, MI. open swale ditch for parking lot, same place opposite view, 1994.
  16. Ann Arbor, MI. open swale ditch for parking lot, sewer outlet, 1994.
  17. Ann Arbor, MI. open channel draining the pond, 1994.
  18. Ann Arbor, MI. open channel draining the pond, another view, 1994.
  19. Ann Arbor, MI. open channel draining the pond, another view showing a parking lot surface water outlet connecting channel, 1994.
  20. Ann Arbor, MI. open channel, landscaped with turfgrass, unnatural appearance, 1994.
  21. Ann Arbor, MI. open channel, another view showing jogging/rollerblading/walkways, 1994.
  22. Ann Arbor, MI. open channel reinforced with geofabric of large mesh size, 1994.
  23. Ann Arbor, MI. open stormwater channel constructed through a building, near inlet. 1994.
  24. Ann Arbor, MI. open stormwater channel constructed through a building, road bridge at inlet. 1994.
  25. Ann Arbor, MI. open stormwater channel constructed through a building, view from bridge. 1994.
  26. Ann Arbor, MI. open stormwater channel constructed through a building, view from bridge upstream. 1994.
10. stormwater ponds.
  1. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, North side, townhouses. 1994.
  2. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, townhouses, same pond and side, other direction. 1994.
  3. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, townhouses, same pond, South side, fishing. 1994.
  4. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, townhouses, same pond and side, view North. 1994.
  5. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, townhouses, same pond and side, family recreation. 1994.
  6. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, another pond with natural fringe vegetation. 1994.
  7. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, same pond another view. 1994.
  8. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, another pond, near townhouses. 1994.
  9. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, same pond, outlet. 1994.
  10. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, naturalised for wildlife. 1994.
  11. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, commercial development. 1994.
  12. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, commercial development, some wetland. 1994.
  13. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, commercial development, with fountains. 1994.
  14. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, same pond. 1994.
  15. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater dry pond, commercial area, picnic site. 1994.
  16. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater pond, townhouses, aerators. 1994.
  17. Mt Crested Butte, Colorado. Tennis courts as dry detention ponds. 1994.
  18. Guelph, Ontario. Underground pipe storage, small parking lot. 1993.
  19. Guelph, Ontario. Underground pipe storage, small parking lot. 1993.
11. wetlands.
  1. Ann Arbor, MI. stormwater swale and linear wetland, commercial area. 1994.
  2. Ann Arbor, MI., stormwater wetland, sedimentation protection, commercial area. 1994.
12. porous pavement.
  1. Stockholm, Sweden. stormwater downspout outlet on porous pavement (sidewalk, gutter and road), commercial downtown area. 1996.
  2. Stockholm, Sweden. porous pavement (sidewalk, gutter and road), commercial downtown area. 1996.
  3. Stockholm, Sweden. Downspout working, lift your feet! Note porous pavement (sidewalk, gutter and road), commercial downtown area. 1996.
13. markers, signs, notices etc.
  1. DAS plastic curb marker that can be attached to the iron grate or even concrete or asphalt
  2. A list of links to various products.