Sponge City Principles and Local Integration: A Theoretical and Applied Perspective in Landscape Architecture

Abstract (Short Overview)

The sponge city approach aims to reduce flood risk, restore the urban water cycle, and enhance urban ecology by designing spatial systems that absorb, store, purify, and reuse stormwater within cities. This paradigm represents not only a technical intervention for landscape architecture but also an aesthetic and functional language with the potential to enhance public space, biodiversity, and community resilience.

Benthemplein, Rotterdam

1. Theoretical Framework: What Is a Sponge City? (Core Principles)

Sponge city principles seek to re-establish the urban water cycle through a “mimic nature” logic. The primary components include:

• Absorption and storage: Green infrastructure elements (rain gardens, bioswales, infiltration zones, retention ponds) retain stormwater at its source.

• Delay and control: Temporary storage systems (water plazas, stepped retention terraces) reduce peak discharge.

• Purification: Soil, vegetation, and bioretention processes improve surface runoff quality.

• Reuse: Collected water is repurposed for irrigation, pond replenishment, or aquifer recharge.

This framework synthesizes Low Impact Development (LID) and blue–green infrastructure approaches, with early implementation concentrated in pilot projects across China.

2. Relevance to Landscape Architecture: Disciplinary Contributions

Landscape architecture plays the following roles within sponge city implementations:

• Spatial integration: Combining technical infrastructure with public space design (e.g., water plazas that function as both stormwater storage and social space).

• Ecological enrichment: Creating habitat using native species, supporting biological filtration and pollinator networks.

• Aesthetic and educational value: Making water processes visible to increase community awareness and stewardship.

• Multi-functionality: Providing simultaneous benefits, including flood reduction, improved urban aesthetics, recreation, heat island mitigation, and localized water reuse.

3. Design Principles and Applicable Strategies

A. Scaling and Hierarchy

Scale	Potential Interventions
Parcel scale	Green roofs, rain gardens, permeable paving, rain barrels
Block / neighborhood scale	Bioretention cells, pervious courtyards, stormwater corridors
Urban scale	Riverfront restoration, water plazas, underground storage and reuse systems

This hierarchy ensures stormwater is managed and reused across multiple spatial layers.

B. Visual-Functional Integration

• Water plazas: Dual-function infrastructure that serves as stormwater basins during rainfall and civic spaces during dry conditions (e.g., Benthemplein, Rotterdam).

• Daylighting / stream restoration: Reopening buried waterways to improve hydraulic capacity and urban ecology (e.g., Cheonggyecheon, Seoul).

Cheonggyecheon, Seoul

C. Technical Components

• Permeable pavements & infiltration modules: Separation, sedimentation, and accelerated groundwater recharge.

• Biological filters / bioretention systems: Demonstrated reductions in runoff volume (25–69%) and peak flow (12–71%), depending on project conditions.

4. Plant Species Selection: Criteria and Example Palettes for Local Integration

Selection Criteria (Summary)

• Temporary flood tolerance

• Drought resilience

• Deep root structures for infiltration

• Pollutant tolerance (nutrients, heavy metals, salinity)

• Priority on native / endemic species

A. Temperate–Continental / Humid Mediterranean (e.g., Izmir)

• Trees / Shrubs: Platanus spp., Tamarix spp., Pistacia lentiscus

• Perennials / Wetland edges: Carex spp., Iris pseudacorus, Miscanthus sinensis

• Border / pollinator species: Salvia nemorosa, Nepeta spp.

B. Tropical / Subtropical (e.g., Shenzhen, Singapore)

• Trees: Cecropia spp., Terminalia spp.

• Wetland species: Juncus spp., Carex spp., mangrove associates

• Understory: Pennisetum spp., Heliconia spp.

C. Warm–Arid Urban Zones

• Succulent / xeric species: Sedum spp., Sempervivum spp., Lavandula spp.

• Deep-rooted woody vegetation: Pistacia spp., local Quercus communities

5. International Case Studies

Location & Project	Key Contribution
China – National Sponge City Program	Nationwide pilot framework, governance innovations, performance assessments
Rotterdam, NL – Benthemplein Water Square	Dual-function public space + stormwater retention
Philadelphia, USA – Green City, Clean Waters	City-scale GSI investment and community partnership model
Singapore – ABC Waters Programme	Integrates reservoirs and canals with public recreation and ecological corridors
Seoul, KR – Cheonggyecheon Restoration	Daylighting of historic stream, climate cooling & recreation benefits

6. Recommendations for Local Implementation

• Policy and incentives: Parcel-level GSI incentives, performance-based regulations.

• Interdisciplinary collaboration: Hydrologists, landscape architects, ecologists, maintenance teams.

• Pilot → evaluate → scale: Iterative learning and adaptive implementation.

• Community engagement: Visibility of water systems fosters stewardship and long-term care.

7. Conclusion

Integrating sponge city principles into landscape architecture enhances not only flood resilience but also urban biodiversity, public space quality, and climate adaptation capacity. Evidence from China, Rotterdam, Philadelphia, and Singapore demonstrates that successful outcomes rely on marrying technical design with governance, maintenance, and community participation.

Suggested References (Selected Key Sources)

(Formatted as academic citation placeholders)

• Yin et al., Sponge City Practices in China, MDPI (2022).

• Chan, F.K.S., Sponge City in China: Planning and Practice, ScienceDirect (2018).

• Griffiths, Royal Society Publications (2020).

• Benthemplein Water Square Project Documentation.

• Philadelphia Water Department, Green City, Clean Waters Program.

• Rain garden and GSI plant selection studies (Izmir/Regional), RHS & ResearchGate.