| The goal of this thesis is to explore design potentials of a stormwater treatment facility that can serve as a link to involve people in the urban water cycle. The site I examine is the proposed stormwater treatment facility in Montlake, Seattle that needs to be placed to mitigate the impact of the State Route (SR) 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program. The site's location, bordering both its pollution source object (highway SR-520) and the affected water body (Lake Washington), provides an uncommon opportunity in the urban setting where people can directly observe different stages of the urban water cycle in the context of their everyday activities. Three key research areas are explored, changing aesthetics, historical urban water management and human experience design. Based on the research and case study findings, the design process adopts a balanced approach combining form, function and experience to design a successful urban stormwater facility. I believe the design outcome being proposed here is successful. It can not only support hydrologic functions, but can also align with interpretive opportunities to experience the water cycle as well as programmatic uses between the three zones. |
