Square Foot Stormwater Modules

This project is an active, participatory enterprise developed to promote ecological stewardship through green infrastructure, particularly gardens that collect and absorb rainwater.

With the assistance of a neighborhood grant and the Gowanus Canal Conservancy, we held design-build workshops at locations within the Gowanus watershed. The purpose of the workshops was to engage community members and public school students in hands-on learning about stormwater issues that affect the Gowanus Canal. In advance of the workshops, we developed modular kits that would be constructed collectively by the workshop team. The design-build framework is intended to be easy and replicable, which enabled STEM instructors from Brooklyn schools to incorporate the workshops in their curriculum. The design of the square foot module distills the concept of green infrastructure to a scale that is easy to build and steward. We are glad our modules can capture stormwater and help make the Gowanus watershed greener, one square foot at a time!