Sponge Community
Sponge Community
Sponge Community
Sponge Community
Design Innovation
Smart City
A smart water community system combines sustainable architecture and an online platform.
A smart water community system combines sustainable architecture and an online platform.
A smart water community system combines sustainable architecture and an online platform.
A smart water community system combines sustainable architecture and an online platform.
Combines sustainable architecture and an online platform to optimize residents’ green lifestyle, sustainable community culture, and urban water management.
Combines sustainable architecture and an online platform to optimize residents’ green lifestyle, sustainable community culture, and urban water management.
My Contribution:
Secondary research / System map / UI / Illustration
Secondary research / System map / UI / Illustration
Project Type:
Side Group Project
(with other 2 designers)
Time:
Dec. 2021–Mar. 2022
Background
Background
Background
Background
The scarcity of fresh water resources has become the bottleneck of urbanization in China.
The total freshwater resources in China account for 6% of the global water resources, but its per capita water resources are only 1/4 of the world average. Ranking 110th globally, it is one of the world’s poorest countries in terms of per capita water resource.
The scarcity of fresh water resources has become the bottleneck of urbanization in China.
The total freshwater resources in China account for 6% of the global water resources, but its per capita water resources are only 1/4 of the world average. Ranking 110th globally, it is one of the world’s poorest countries in terms of per capita water resource.
In response to water resources shortage, currently all countries in the world take rainwater harvesting and utilization as one of the main starting points.
In response to water resources shortage, currently all countries in the world take rainwater harvesting and utilization as one of the main starting points.
Secondary
Research
Secondary
Research
Secondary
Research
Secondary
Research
The sponge city concept has been proposed as to how to use rainwater scientifically.
What
Flexible and adapting to environmental changes like a sponge, it can effectively drain water and provide purified water sources when needed.
How
Water from rivers, lakes, ponds, greenspaces, gardens, and permeable roads will infiltrate, be retented and purified.
Excess part of the recycle discharged through the pipe network and pumping station.
Why
Flexible and adapting to environmental changes like a sponge, Water-absorbing materials that adapt to environmental changes and respond to natural disasters of precipitation effectively reduce the urban heat island effect and keep urban roads cool.
How to encourage individuals participate more actively?
How to combine policy push with individual actions to reduce the waste?
Based on these questions, follow-up research and design are carried out.
Nanshan district, Shenzhen, China is selected in view of its natural resources, population, and cultural policy environments.
Based on these questions, follow-up research and design are carried out.
Nanshan district, Shenzhen, China is selected in view of its natural resources, population, and cultural policy environments.
User
Research
User
Research
User
Research
User
Research
In response to water resources shortage, currently all countries in the world take rainwater harvesting and utilization as one of the main starting points.
For water consumption Shenzhen residents:
Have the awareness of water saving, but are not easy to put it into action
Think their water-saving actions depend on the water price of the place where. they live.
In terms of leisure and interests Shenzhen young people:
Have a narrower range of movement at weekends, most of whom would like to move around in the neighborhood.
Prefer high-quality activities in pursuit of both entertainment and significance.
Have certain dating desires, however will be limited by the reality.
As for water saving activities in the community:
Are not interested in publicity activities of water saving.
Do not like enforced measures for water saving.
Credit: Boya Zhu
Ideation
Community analysis
Analyze the relationship between the council and residents to find out the design opportunity that can combine water saving behavior and residents’s live.
Design value
Improve community environment
Improve community environment
The existing rainwater harvesting technology, like green roof, can be integrated with the community environment to form a pleasing landscape and provide residents with a comfortable living environment.
Strengthen feel of belonging
Strengthen feel of belonging
Most households in Nanshan District are migrant workers and Shenzhen’s local culture has not yet been formed. It is difficult for them to cultivate a sense of belonging. Community culture should be incorporated in the design to enhance their sense of participation and inclusion.
Up-to-date information
Up-to-date information
Majority of Shenzhen residents have limited knowledge about water. Through our design, relevant information will be timely published so that residents can understand the situation of water resources utilization.
Promote collaboration
Promote collaboration
The water resources shortage prompts us to cultivate good conservation awareness. In our design, corresponding programs can link multiple parties together to jointly promote residents' conservation efforts.
System Map
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
The final outcome contains two parts:
sustainable architecture (credit belongs to Yingqun Lei) and an online platform
The final outcome contains two parts:
sustainable architecture (credit belongs to Yingqun Lei) and an online platform
Credit: Yingqun Lei
