Design-Think-Plants First!
In the midst of unprecedented warming, flooding and storms, nature based solutions have become a critical part of the conversation about these pressing issues. But paradoxically, the role that plants have in the design of nature-based infrastructure is often overlooked if they are considered decorative finish elements that we add after the hard infrastructure is decided. This type of design thinking must change.
When we design nature-based solutions, plants must move to the foreground of our design approach. As landscape architects, we know they are leading actors in ecological and hydrological systems. They move water and nutrients between air and soil. They capture carbon and release oxygen. These basic functions keep our air, soil, and water in check (think air pollution, erosion, and flooding). By choosing to prioritize plants throughout the design process, we will make them a critical part of our nature-based infrastructural design.
The microclimate benefits plants provide occur at all scales, from a tree to a leaf. They offer a multitude of micro-habitats (or micro-biomes) to support diverse life forms, from the urban forest biome to the soil biome. When we think at all scales, we carefully consider how plants are integrated into our built environments not just for ourselves, but for the tiniest creatures that operate at micro-scales. Assemblage hopes that deep design attention to plants as highly functional systems will garner more consideration for selecting plants not only for their aesthetic value, but for the ecological benefits they provide. When it comes to designing nature-based solutions, landscape architects work at the critical intersection between client and community, and we are plant’s best advocates!