This 2011 article by one of this editor’s favorite bloggers, Kaid Benfield, explores all the ways in which Seattle provides a leading-edge example of urban stream daylighting, stormwater management, pedestrianization, and the greening of public spaces.
Here’s a quote from the Landscape Architecture Foundation about this 9-acre project:
“Carved out of an abandoned parking lot, the Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel treats urban stormwater runoff Thornton Creek water channel from 680 acres within a necklace of channels, pools, and terraces designed to mimic the performance of a natural creek. Its lush plantings, overlooks, and paths have added 2.7 acres of public open space to the Northgate Urban Center and catalyzed surrounding redevelopment. The facility is a model for how multi-functional landscapes can be integrated into the dense urban fabric.”