Water-amenity
Chapter 2 Natural and Technical Characteristics of Water-amenity
2.3 The natural and technical characteristics of water-amenity design
Due to the speed of urbanization, more and more people are moving to urban areas. However, nature is still necessary for city life. Especially in modern cities is filled by high-density buildings, the significance of the nature around us is becoming more and more obvious.
It is difficult to keep a completely natural space, one that has never been artificially developed, in modern city life. However, people still want to enjoy life in an area with the image of outdoor and natural life. Therefore, an important aim of water-amenity design is to provide this kind of space that can create an evocative natural environment for urban residents.
Here we will discuss the characteristics of water-amenity design in the areas below:
Hardware:
2.3.1 Embankments
Generally, embankment material contains both concrete blocks and natural stone. Concrete blocks lead to a monotonous plain look, so if possible, natural and irregular stones are better for the expression of embankments.
For wide embankment, stairs and slopes are not only the approaches to the river, but can also play the role of a border to soften the length of the bank slope. Based on the necessary spacing as the approach, concentrated according to regional characteristics, opening space, and changing shape, the expression as rhythm would be produced, as a square-like outdoor theater stand. If there is enough room on the width of the river bank, a turf area is also an alternative choice.
Fig. 2 - 8 Grass embankment and concrete stairs of Tone Canal
Fig. 2 - 9 Grass embankment of Kamogawa River (photo: H. Matsuda)
2.3.2 Walking road and cycling road
Usually walking roads are constructed along the embankment. For large rivers where the width of embankment is over 3m, it is also possible to make a cycling road. Location of walking roads and cycling roads can be selected according to the atmosphere and convenience of sight-seeing.
Sometimes meandering roads can provide a slalom curve when people are walking, in order not to be limited to a simple straight line. It is considered a complex deep psychology, as part of enjoying the fun of scenery changing with the line of sight changing, or capturing the surroundings to understand the target, and so on. Therefore, compared to a straight walking road, the road with direction and width changing, room casual segmentation of plant and rhythm changing is better for sight-seeing of visitors.
Fig. 2 - 10 Cycling road of Arakawa River Fig. 2 - 11 Walking road of Kitazawa greenway
Medium:
2.3.3 Ecosystem
An ecosystem is the foundation of natural elements in a water-amenity design, where it is assumed that visitors can closely watch, feel, and even touch plants, animals, and fish. An ecosystem in water-amenity maintenance also proves that human beings, modern construction, and a natural environment in cities can co-exist. Usually, in urban water-amenity design, elements that help us to feel waterfronts personally are preferred, for instance with small waterways, clear water quality, shallow depth, and plenty of vegetation.
From the view point of the natural biotic community and nature conservation, chiefly concerned with the continuity and the development of natural biotic communities, humanity is part of the environment. For this reason, human interference is referred to as “anthropogenic environmental
interactive dynamics should meet each other’s needs. In ecological planning, human society occupies a central position, especially in its relationship with the natural environment. In the famous book “Design with Nature” by Ian McHarg (McHarg, 1969), the landscape approach is being replaced by a more quantitative approach. This landscape planning points out several inputs in the planning process which attempt to:
1) Maximize the short-term and long-term positive effects of landscape resources such as water supply, wildlife habitat, and scenery;
2) Minimize the short-term and long-term negative effects of landscape hazards such as floods;
3) Maximize natural opportunities for development, such as well-drained, well-situated sites;
4) Minimize undue long-term impact on the larger environmental/ecological system.
In planning water-amenity landscapes, the ecological evaluation includes estimating the functions for the natural environment which provide satisfaction for needs such as the continuity of human life, development, recreation, and enjoyment.
Fig. 2 - 12 Diversity of vegetation at Mukojima Channel, Hino City, Tokyo, Japan The Mukojima Channel is also a former irrigation channel for agricultural usage. This picture shows the variety of vegetation growing on the bank side; in this picture at least 10 species of plants appear. In Mukojima channel, vegetation diversity provides not only recreation and enjoyment to visitors, but also environment education to local fundamental school students.
Water surface with gravel embankment
Fig. 2 - 13 Carps in Rokugo greenway, Ohta-Ward, Tokyo, Japan
Fancy carp (cryprinus carpiod) is a kind of famous and precious fish species originated in East Asia. In East Asian culture, fancy carp is regarded to relate with luck of fortune. Habitat of fancy carp requires very high water quality, it can be considered as an index of water quality and biodiversity.
Fig. 2 - 14 Water plant garden zone of Minumadai water-amenity park, Tokyo, Japan
In Minumadai water-amenity park there is a special area named “water plant garden zone”
to plant many species of water vegetations. It is also an environment study spot for students nearby.
2.3.4 Green garden and flower belt
Sometimes urban areas are considered to have uniformly negative effects on biodiversity, as cities are most accurately characterized as heterogeneous mosaics of buildings and streets.
Therefore, belt-style water amenity parks and gardens can offer an adjustment to urban landscapes via plenty of vegetation and flowers.
On the wide slope of embankments, it is possible to create a green garden. Green gardens are not only places for sight-seeing and community, but are also effective landscapes to the other side of water surfaces. Moreover, garden and flower belts can create friendly, leisurely atmosphere.
Fig. 2 - 15 Green garden block of Todoroki creek park, Setagaya ward, Tokyo, Japan
Fig. 2 - 16 Flower belt of Oomaru water-amenity park, Inagi City, Tokyo, Japan (photo: H. Haru)
Software:
2.3.5 System of intercommunity space
The system of intercommunity space ensures enough public area, continuity, and consensus for residents and visitors to obtain consciousness of public, community, and sharing. These can be realized through, for example, flowers planted by local communities, local vegetable gardens, and activities alongside the waterfront. Water-amenity space also provides a place for communication. As a place that can create a natural interaction because of its openness, riverfronts are also very important for region construction.
Public parks are places where various kinds of people come and go. In water-amenity parks, there are trees, benches, water channels, and sometimes vending machines. People can eat, walk, walk dogs, or read books in the park. Also, they can spend free time in a park however they like.
Parks are public spaces, not like the office or home, where people are free to interact with others.
There are many styles of water use for communication. For example, culture, sports, natural learning, volunteer activities, recreation, market, etc. In addition, for the space with full function, a hidden system should be taken into account. It contains position, size, environment, point number, etc.
Fig. 2 - 17 Sports at Yokojikkenkawa water-amenity park, Koto ward, Tokyo, Japan This water-amenity park provides sports facilities for local residents and visitors, especially kids to play.
Fig. 2 - 18 Recruit of volunteers, Komatsugawa river park, Edogawa ward,
Tokyo, Japan
Volunteer activities also promote the cooperation and understanding of local residents as well as environment study.
Fig. 2 - 19 Study at Teganuma water-amenity square, Abiko city, Chiba, Japan (photo.
Kohokudai Kindergarten)
As introduced in Chapter 1, most of water-amenity reconstructions in Japan applied shallow and narrow water channels. The safety level is increased; kindergarten and fundamental school students can play and study freely in the water front.
Swim Horizontal
bars Cage for
ball playing
Fig. 2 - 20 Market at Tone Canal, Nagareyama city, Chiba, Japan
As shown in Chapter 1, the market by riverside provides multi-function for recreation and amenity to residents and visitors.
2.3.6 Facilities
As a place to provide intercommunity space and amenity to visitors, most water-amenity parks also come equipped with necessary facilities, including bathrooms, showers, drink stands, and more, for the convenience of visitors. Because visitors often play in water channels, most water-amenity parks have showering areas.
Moreover, especially in Japan, the aging society requires more barrier-free structures like sloping roads, restrooms, seating areas, and so on. Japan is a country where earthquakes frequently occur, so many parks also provide earthquake shelters.
Fig. 2 - 21 Shower, Furukawa water-amenity park, Edogawa ward, Tokyo, Japan
Fig. 2 - 22 Barrier-free slope, Otonashi water-amenity park, Kita ward, Tokyo, Japan
Market area Flyers and
advertisements
Although the banks are higher, Tone canal also provide walking road and rest space on the banks..
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Table 2 - 2 Comparison of ordinary river construction method and nature-oriented river construction method
Items Ordinary river construction
method
Nature-oriented river construction method
Hardware design
Bank height High (> 5m) Low (< 5m)
Embankment material
Concrete Stone, gravel, soil, grass
River bed Concrete and stone Stone and gravel Vegetation Dull, even no plants Variety of plants
Road Street, motorway Cycling road and walking road
Biodiversity Dull Variety
Medium design
Water quantity Medium to large Small to medium
Water quality No standard Clean water
Software design
Park, garden and flower belt
Usually do not have Most water parks
Intercommunity space
No Yes
Facilities Less or no Abundant
2.4.2 Conservation and maintenance
The nature-oriented river construction method adopts traditional methods using natural materials which were already introduced in many cases. Compared to the traditional method, which is often called a fish nest block of concrete, it is more natural, convenient, and ecological to construct water-amenity landscapes with nature-oriented river construction methods. It can be said therefore that it is possible to create spaces of various sizes through a combination of methods, and configure an environment convenient to the habitat of the organisms of the river.
Further, it is suitable as a method for nature restoration.
Since plant growth requires time after construction, it is very important to maintain the embankment and river bed regularly. It is necessary to incorporate the time consumed in business plans for maintenance and further applications.
Landscape maintenance is required to be carried out in respect for the special characteristics of the landscape according to the planned target area. Therefore, planning river structures usually focuses on how to develop the positive elements and how to control the negative elements from
2.4.3 Safety measurements
According to increasing public awareness and public activities of nearby residents caused by water-amenity maintenance, the activities and active evaluation towards waterfronts also increase the adhesion of daily life and water landscapes as well. Moreover, environmental degradation decreases because of reconstructed water landscapes. Visitors can also be satisfied, and they are willing to visit again.
Waterfronts and daily life of residents are closely related. For the satisfaction of residents and visitors, there are more water surfaces that will be reconstructed as water-amenity landscapes and spaces. However, in this condition, the safety risk of water also increases. When people enjoy touching and playing near waterfronts, awareness of danger and risk might decrease, especially when people are fully enjoying the satisfaction from waterfronts. Therefore, reminding visitors to be aware is also an important element in water-amenity reconstruction.
Fig. 2 - 25 Warning board of no-drinking, ban of freeing fish, and the creek stops flowing in downpour of rain. Kitazawa green
way, Setagaya ward, Tokyo, Japan
Fig. 2 - 26 Ban of freeing fish, Kitazawa river green way, Tokyo
Fig. 2 - 27 Warning board of manners, Sendaihorikawa river park, Koto ward, Tokyo, Japan
Fig. 2 - 28 Water quality board, Kiba water-amenity park, Koto ward, Tokyo, Japan I In addition, some other out-of-consciousness activities should also be paid mind because these activities can disturb others, such as where to place fishing lines and bait, disposal of dog excrement, up-and-down activities of kids, fires caused by fireworks, and potential accidents caused by bicycles. In any case, safety management is significant for any activity near
planners and local authorities.