University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| PENN-ALEXANDER PARTNERSHIP SCHOOL |
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| PENN-ALEXANDER PARTNERSHIP SCHOOL |
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UPDATE: On September 29, 2006, Brad Linder of National Public Radio's Morning Edition featured the City of Philadelphia's stormwater strategy and the Penn-Alexander Partnership School. Click here for a link to the NPR website to listen to the broadcast. At the Penn-Alexander K-8 Public School (formally named Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School), Cahill Associates designed several innovative storm water management techniques to limit flooding, increase groundwater recharge, demonstrate storm water cleansing, and provide curriculum opportunities by creating educational opportunities associated with these projects. Located in west Philadelphia, in an area with combined storm/sanitary sewers and little green space, the need was acute. A subsurface infiltration bed was placed under the school's turf athletic field to retain water from the new building roof drains. A certain amount of water is retained to provide moisture to keep the playfield green during dry periods, limiting the need for irrigation. A porous pavement playground absorbs rainfall that falls directly on the surface. A rain garden captures roof runoff during storm events. The stormwater gradually infiltrates and totally disappears during dry periods mimicking ephemeral pools. |
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Site Photographs |
 Roof leaders from the Penn-Alexander Partnership School connect to a subsurface infiltration bed located beneath this athletic field |
 This urban play court is made of porous asphalt with a subsurface infiltration bed |
 Roof leaders from the school connect to this rain garden. |
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