The sustainable design of spaces starts from the ground up. Permeable ground for drainage and natural irrigation of root-depth soil are hot topics in this area at the moment. Two projects in Belgium demonstrate what this looks like in practice.
Basic project planning is slowly incorporating new solutions to address issues around ground sealing and the prevention of urban overheating. In line with principles of sustainable urban design and the sustainable design of spaces, awareness of key themes in sustainable architecture is increasing among planners and politicians including unsealing, greening and, last but not least, recyclability.
Evaporation removes heat from the environment and cools the air and soil, which is why there is a legislative framework governing the provision of open surfaces in projects involving new construction. In urban areas, around 95 % of surface water goes directly into the drainage system, which can lead to flooding or pollution in the event of heavy rain. Open or partially open surfaces counteract this effect and also ensure that the root spaces below are watered.
The joints of water-permeable surfaces must be at least 10 % of their total area. Passaqua clay paving stones have 6 mm wide joints, allowing water to drain into the ground at a rate of 20,000 litres per second in an area of one hectare.
Finding a way to reconcile human comfort and user requirements with nature conservation has been a fundamental challenge since humans first began shaping nature.
When planners were redesigning the outdoor area for a bistro on the edge of the “Het Maldegemveld” nature reserve in Belgium, they wanted to make sure the open landscape and, in particular, existing trees, would be preserved. Clay paving stones, which allow water to drain into the ground and Corten steel troughs were used around the restaurant to create an attractive environment in which to sit and pass the time. The area was designed with water management and the existing vegetation in mind.
Paving stones are not just coming back into fashion for ecological reasons. In areas where different colours are used to separate traffic, paving stones can be used to create a signage solution.
A good example of this is a car park in Bruges, Belgium: In order to comply with local authority regulations, the project had to use water-permeable clay paving stones. Two different colours were chosen, to visibly separate motor and pedestrian traffic. Another big plus point is that it is easy to replace individual paving stones with little wastage in the event of damage, and they can also be reused when they reach the end of their life cycle.
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