Storm Water Solution Wins Landscape Award

The High Desert Water Harvesting Garden and Storm Water Pond in Albuquerque, N.M., recently received one of several awards given by the New Mexico Chapter of the Society of Landscape Architects.

The Albuquerque Tribune reported that the society looked at landscape architecture across the state and recognized those that best exemplified creativity, visual interest, environmental sustainability, site responsiveness, cultural sensitivity and an ability to generate a sense of place.

Of the 22 entries, seven won awards, but it was The High Desert project by Sites Southwest that was given an award of excellence, the highest recognition.

The combination garden and water drainage facility has hosted a wedding and several photo shoots. The area is made up of sloping rock walls leading to a steel sculpture in the middle.

Jonathan Siegel, a local architect with the firm Siegel Design Architects and one of the judges, told The Albuquerque Tribune that he was impressed with the way the park took a problematic storm-water drainage situation and made it a place of beauty.

In addition to removing dirt from mountain water before sending it to the river through the city's drainage system, the facility sends any overflow to an adjacent garden.

The High Desert project's approach came about in part due to necessity, as a natural arroyo coming from the mountain cuts through the neighborhood. The water it carries needed a place to dump its dirt before jumping into the city's drainage system leading to the river.

The area is highly visible, so Jack Eichorn, senior vice president with High Desert Investment Corporation, realized that the solution needed to be pleasing to the eye.

Source: The Albuquerque Tribune