See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/364646984

Review of aesthetic components in 'Sponge City': towards sustainable urban

stormwater management

Chapter in Advances in Civil Engineering Materials · January 2023

DOI: 10.1007/978-981-19-8024-4

CITATIONS READS

2 359

3 authors, including:

Ren Jie Chin

University of Malaya
46 PUBLICATIONS 355 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Fatemeh Alsadat Khoshhal on 23 October 2022.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Review of aesthetic components in ‘Sponge City’:
towards sustainable urban stormwater management
Fatemeh alsadat Khoshhal Shaghaji 1, Poh Im Lim1 and Ren Jie Chin2
1
Department of Architecture & Sustainable Design, Lee Kong Chian Facul-
ty of Engineering & Science, Sungai Long Campus, University Tunku Ab-
dul Rahman, Selangor 43000, Malaysia
2Department of Civil Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering

and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kajang 43000, Malaysia

[email protected]

Abstract. Sponge city is a concept designed based on nature-based solutions.

The sponge city can prevent the increase of floods and urban runoff in rainy cit-
ies and flood-prone countries. Aesthetics is one of the components of the
‘sponge city’. It is essential to highlight the aesthetic components in urban
stormwater management as they are important in public health and quality of
life. This study aims to review the current development of sponge city and fo-
cuses on the aesthetic components, which should be taken into consideration
during the implementation of sponge city. It was found that typology of green
space elements, climate comfort, and material are the key components of visual
richness sensory, one of the branches of the aesthetic aspects has a significant
linkage to the features of sponge city.

Keywords: Aesthetic components, Nature-Based Solution, Sponge City concept

1 Introduction

Lately, the effects of climate change with the frequent occurrence of extreme weather
has affected many worldwide. Flash floods due to the heavy downpours and increased
surface runoff, suggest the importance of proper urban stormwater management.
Among the available strategies, ‘sponge city’ has gained attention due to its sustaina-
ble nature, which integrates nature-based solutions (NBS) as key features in urban
infrastructure. It has been shown that the implementation of the sponge city concept
in flood-prone areas can help to prevent the occurrence of floods by reducing the
urban runoff in a more environmentally friendly way. However, sponge city should
not specifically focus on flood control, but should also address the improvement of
public health and quality of life in a city. Therefore, the aesthetic aspects should be
emphasized while implementing the sponge city projects.
2

2 Problem statement and objectives

In past, the aesthetic components are always ignored while stating the important indi-
cators for different objectives during the implementation of sponge city (Li, 2018), as
shown in Table 1. Lacking attention to aesthetic components has invited several nega-
tive impacts, such as psychological illness (Cupchik, 2002), visual pollution (Cup-
chik, 2002), image ability (Lynch, 1960), poor legibility, and way-finding (Bentley,
1985) in urban environments. It is believed that focusing on aesthetic components in
sponge city implementation, can improve the overall urban stormwater management
in terms of sustainability and livability, as well as prevent visual pollution and mental
illness. This paper aims to review the current development of sponge city and attempt
to figure out the aesthetic components that should be highlighted during the imple-
mentation of sponge city.

Table 1. Main aims of sponge city concept and the respective indicators (Li, 2018).

Indicators
Objectives
 Flood prevention ability of the city
 Water surface ratio
Water security  Effective soil covering thickness of underground space
 Sponge green rate
 Permeable pavement rate
 River and lake water quality compliance rate
 Rate of intercepting fences for reduction of the overflow
Water environment area
 Sponge type rate of urban roads
 Rainwater outfall water quality compliance rate
 The rate of annual runoff control
 The rate of ecologic bank slope of water system connecting
Water ecology rivers and lake
 Green coverage
 Unconventional water utilization
Water resources  Wastewater reclamation rate and utilization rate
 Utilization of rainwater resources

3 Development of sponge city

The frequency of facing extreme weather has become more and more common. With-
out a proper storm water management system to provide storage or retention for sur-
face runoff, it may lead to uncontrolled flood inundations, and thereby cause major
damages and impairment to life and economics (e.g. China (Jiang et al., 2018; Wu et
al., 2020), Korea (Kim, 2019), India (Sarmah et al., 2020) as well as Italy, Spain, UK,
and France (Hofmann and Schüttrumpf, 2019).
 3

Sponge city (SC) is a new generation of urban rainwater management concept,

which considers multiple goals such as waterlogging prevention and control, runoff
pollution control, utilization of rainwater resources, and water ecological restoration
(Meicheng, 2021). This concept is also related to the counteraction of rising tempera-
tures, improvement of urban biodiversity, as well as better public health, and quality
of life (Zweynert, 2017). In 2013, the Chinese National Government formally pro-
posed the “Sponge City Program” (SCP). In the year 2018, the Ministry of Housing
and Urban-Rural Development (MHURD) published the first draft of SCP assessment
standards in China (Wang et al, 2020). This model takes inspiration from NBS (Na-
ture-Based Solutions) which is a popular concept established in Europe (Vujcic et al.,
2017), low impact development (LID), best management practices (BMPs), best plan-
ning practices (BPPs), and green infrastructure (GI) in US and Canada, sustainable
drainage systems or sustainable urban drainage systems (Sus Drain/SUDSs) and inte-
grated urban water management (IUWM) in the UK, alternative techniques (ATs) in
France and other European countries, water sensitive urban design (WSUD) in Aus-
tralia and New Zealand (Li, 2018). In Malaysia, the current model in use is Bio‐
Ecological Drainage System (BIOECODS).
The concept of sponge city emphasizes the basic principles of 'nature-based',
'source control', 'local adaption', ‘nature protection’, ‘learning from nature, ‘urban
ecological space preservation’ as much as possible, ‘biodiversity restoration’, and
‘beautiful landscape environment creation’. Hence, the features of sponge city include
the infiltration effect of natural ecological background (such as topography and land-
forms), purification effects of vegetation and wetlands on water quality, and a combi-
nation of natural and artificial means to allow the city to absorb and release rainwater.
Urban green spaces and urban water bodies, such as constructed wetlands, rain gar-
dens, green roofs, recessed green spaces, grass ditches, and ecological parks, can be
considered elements or features of a sponge city.

Technologies pioneered in sponge cities include multi-scale permeable pavement

systems, underground rainwater storage systems for drought-prone areas, and intricate
plumbing systems that reuse rainwater throughout urban buildings for non-potable
uses (Housely, 2019). Challenges in sponge city implementation can be categorized
into four aspects, which are technical, community/ intuitional, financial, and legal (Li,
2017) (as shown in Table 2). Aesthetics is one of its challenges in the community
category. According to Hu and Li (2015), aesthetics must be changed from a perspec-
tive to a more nature-based strategy. A similar view can be found in Meicheng (2021)
and Li (2018). The performance of sponge city is affected by the aesthetic environ-
ment. However, it is rarely highlighted.

Table 2. Challenges of sponge city (Li, 2017).

Challenge categories
4

1. Design and construction codes and standards

2. Performance and sustainability of sponge
city measures
Technical 3. Technology and materials
4. Monitoring techniques and standards
5. Education and training
6. Operation and maintenance
1. Local, provincial and national rules, ordi-
nance, policies, regulations, laws and guide-
lines
Legal
2. Municipal structure for maintenance and
ownership
3. Opportunities
1. Full life cycle and maintenance costs of
sponge city measures
2. Social, economic and environmental benefits
Financial of sponge city measures
3. Financial sources
4. Private sector’s interests
5. Incentives
1. Public knowledge, interests, and involvement
of sponge city construction
2. Community education
Community/
3. Aesthetics
Institutional
4. Cooperation between agencies and communi-
ties
5. Available information

4 Aesthetic components of sponge city

To examine the nature of aesthetic design, Lang (2005) classified the aesthetic
qualities into two groups, which are formal and symbolic. Bostanci (2011) and Habibi
(2016) introduced the meaning and function of indicators for the symbolic group. The
researchers acknowledged that the symbolic indicators can be measured by qualitative
methods. This article focuses on the formal group indicators that can be measured by
quantitative methods as shown in Table 3.

Table 3. Indicators of formal aesthetic.

Theorist Year Aesthetic quality indicators

Nasar 1997 Shape, Proportion

Kim 2006 Proportion
Reed 2011 Form, Line
Bentley 1985 Visual appropriateness
Rappaport 1990 Surfaces, Enclosing elements
Gehl 2011 Size, Shape, Detailed design of elements
Weber 2008 Symmetry, Scale
 5

Thomas 2002 Size, Height, Detail

As Bentley et al. (1985) mentioned,, richness is one of the aesthetic indicators. Rich-
ness can be divided into two parts, visual sensory richness and non-visual sensory
richness (Bentley et al., 1985). As shown in Table 4, Bentley (1985), Francis Tibalds
(1992), Punter and Carmona (1997), and Carmona (2010) have highlighted that pro-
mote intricacy and visual delight, city perspective quality, views quality, and urban
perspective, are the aspects of visual sensory richness.

Table 4. Quality of urban space (Abbaszadegan, 2009).

Theorist Year Urban quality indicators Aspects of visual
sensory richness
Vitality, Sense, Fit, Access, Con-
Kevin Lynch 1960
trol, Efficiency, Justice
Variety, Legibility, Robustness,
appropriateness, Richness, Person- Promote intricacy
Bentley et al. 1985 alization, Permeability, Resources
efficiency, Biotic support, Cleanli- Visual delight
ness
Livability, Identity and control, City perspective
Allan Jacobs Access to opportunities, imagina-
and Donald 1987 tion and joy, Meaning, Community Views quality
Apple yard and public life, Urban self-reliance,
An environment for all
Consider the places before build-
ings, have the humility to learn
from the past and respect the con-
text, encourage the mixing of uses
in towns and cities, design on a
Francis Tib- human scale, encourage the free-
1992
balds dom to walk about, cater for all
sections of the community, build
legible environments, build to last
and adapt, Avoid change on too
great a scale at the same time, pro-
mote intricacy and visual delight
Neighborhoods should be diverse in
use and population, Communities
1993 should be designed for the pedestri-
New urbaniza- ( an and for transit, Cities and towns
tion congress Legates, should be shaped by physically
2011) defined and accessible public spac-
es, Considering local history, Cli-
mate, Ecology, Building practice
Environmental sustainability quali-
Punter and ty, City perspective quality, Views
1997
Carmona quality, City form quality, Building
form quality, Public field quality
DETR Identity, Continuity and surround-
2000
ing, Public presentation quality,
6

Easy motion, Legibility, Flexibility,

Variety
Access, Space construction and
space norm, Public space, Safety
Carmona et al. 2010 and security, Urban perspective,
Mix and congestion, Universality,
Space time management

According to Bentley et al. (1985), the indicators of visual sensory richness include
cleanliness, street environment, nature and elements of the image and background,
visual signs, mental imagination, viewing time requirements, visual proportions,
physical elements, and full and empty concepts, etc. The other indicators based on
Bentley et al. (1985), and Lynch (1981) are presented in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1. Indicators of visual sensory richness (Bentley.et al (1985); Lynch (1981)).

On the other hand, according to Koster (2021), a proper storm water management
system should be designed to serve as a water receptor, reservoir, and donor. In addi-
tion, urban lakes, low elevation greenbelts, rainwater gardens, contracted wetlands,
green roofs, green facades, multifunctional areas, and pervious pavement are the
commonly seen strategy to deal with rainwater for the runoff reduction purpose.
Therefore, sponge city, which integrates the aforementioned features, appear as one of
the direct methods in storm water management. Based on the discussed features that
play important role in the formation of sponge cities, the corresponding visual sensory
richness indicators can be linked and correlated. A summary of pairing the features in
sponge city with the visual sensory richness indicators is tabulated in Table 5.

Table 5. Pairing of features in sponge city with the visual sensory richness indicators.
Elements of Sponge Relevant components related Visual Sensory Rich-
City ness
 7

Attractive uses, Climate comfort, Services provided in the

Urban lakes
environment, Material
Low elevation Typology of green space elements, Climate comfort, Mate-
greenbelts rial
Typology of green space elements, Climate comfort, Mate-
Rainwater gardens
rial
Contracted wet- Typology of green space elements, Climate comfort, Mate-
lands rial
Typology of green space elements, Climate comfort, Mate-
Green roofs
rial
Typology of green space elements, Climate comfort, Mate-
Green facades
rial
Commuting access, Traffic routes
Multifunctional ar-
Flexibility, Services provided in the environment, Attrac-
eas
tive uses, Climate comfort, User overflow
Commuting access, Traffic routes, Material, Climate com-
Pervious pavement
fort

5 Conclusion

Sponge city is a sustainable strategy for urban storm water management. Aesthetic
components should be given a highlight in the implementation of sponge city so that
the strategy not only benefits the storm water management but also from the perspec-
tives of the environment, public health and quality of life. It was found that the ty-
pology of green space elements, climate comfort, and material as the most relevant
components from the aspect of visual sensory richness towards the sponge city im-
plementation.

References
1. Abbaszadegan, M.: A Strategy of Product and Process-Oriented design of Urban
Environment Qualities. Bagh-e Nazar, Volume
https://www.sid.ir/fa/journal/ViewPaper.aspx?id=122912, pp. 3-16(2009).
2. Bentley.I, e. a.: Responsive Environments. s.l.: Architectural Press(1985).
3. Berardi.: The outdoor microclimate benefits and energy saving. resulting from
green roofs retrofits. Energy and Buildings, Volume
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/298807124_The_outdoor_microclimate_
benefits_and_energy_saving_resulting_from_green_roofs_retrofits, pp. 217-
229(2016).
4. Bostanci, S. &. O. M.: Innovative Approach to Aesthetic Evaluation Based on
Entropy. European Planning Studies , Volume
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09654313.2011.548473(2011).
5. Carmona, M.: Public Places Urban Spaces: The Dimensions of Urban Design, 2nd
edition. s.l.:Architectural Press(2010).
 8

6. Cupchik, G. C.: The evolution of psychical distance. Culture and Psychology,

Volume
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270598826_The_Evolution_of_Psychica
l_Distance_As_an_Aesthetic_Concept#:~:text=the%20early%2020th-
,century%2C%20Edward%20Bullough%20produced%20the%20idea%20of%20'p
sychical,of%20the%20'aesthetic%20object'%20as, pp. 155-187(2002).
7. DETR.: By design, urban design in the planning system: towards better practice..
london: Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions(2000).
8. Ghani, A. Ab. et al.: BIO-ECOLOGICAL DRAINAGE SYSTEM (BIOECODS):
CONCEPT, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. Brisbane, Australia, 6th
International Conference on Hydroscience and Engineering (2004).
9. Habibi, A.: Environmental Aesthetics; The Share of Environmental Aesthetic
Indices in the Cognition of Urban Landscape. Manzar, Volume
http://www.manzar-sj.com/article_43489.html?lang=en(2016).
10. Hofmann, J. S. H.: Risk-based early warning system for pluvial flash floods:
approaches and foundations. Geosciences, Volume
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331781400_Risk-
Based_Early_Warning_System_for_Pluvial_Flash_Floods_Approaches_and_Fou
ndations(2019).
11. Housely, S.: Three Ways to Think Like a Sponge City, s.l.: Storm Sensor(2019).
12. Hu, J., & Li, D., 2015. Dialogue with Local Government: Zhenjiang City's
Experience in Sponge City Construction.. Landscape Architecture,, Volume
https://journal.hep.com.cn/laf/EN/Y2015/V3/I2/32(2015).
13. Jacobs.A & Appleyard.D.: Toward an Urban Design Manifesto. Journal of the
American Planning Association, Volume
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01944368708976642(1987).
14. Jiang, Y., Zevenbergen, C,., Yongchi,M.: Urban pluvial flooding and stormwater
management: A contemporary review of China’s challenges and ‘‘sponge cities”
strategy.. Environ. Sci. Policy, Volume
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321749429_Urban_pluvial_flooding_an
d_stormwater_management_A_contemporary_review_of_China's_challenges_and
_sponge_cities_strategy, pp. 132-143(2018).
15. Kaplan.R, Kaplan.S, Brown.T.: Environmental PreferenceA Comparison of Four
Domains of Predictors. Environment and Behavior, Volume
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249624135_Environmental_PreferenceA
_Comparison_of_Four_Domains_of_Predictors(1989).
16. Kim, J. C. H.: Scenario-based urban flood forecast with flood inundation map..
Tropical Cyclone Research and Review, Volume
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225603219300463, pp. 27-
34(2019).
17. Köster, S.: How the Sponge City becomes a supplementary water supply
infrastructure. Water-Energy Nexus, Volume
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349974674_How_the_Sponge_City_bec
omes_a_supplementary_water_supply_infrastructure(2021).
18. lang, j.: urban design: a typology of procedures and products.
s.l.:Elsevier/Architectural Press(2005).
 9

19. Li, H., Ding, L., Ren, M., Li, C., & Wang, H.: Sponge city construction in China:
A survey of the challenges and opportunities.. Water (Switzerland)., Volume
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319340064_Sponge_City_Construction_
in_China_A_Survey_of_the_Challenges_and_Opportunities(2017).
20. Lynch, Kevin.: The Image of the City. harvard: The MIT Press(1981).
21. Meicheng Ji a, X. B.: Construction of the sponge city regulatory detailed planning
index system based on theSWMMmodel. Environmental Technology &
Innovation(2021).
22. Nasar, J. L.: The Evaluative Image of the City. s.l.: SAGE Publications,
Inc(1997).

23. Punter, J. C., 1997. The Design Dimension of Planning: Theory, Content and Best
Practice for Design Policies. London: E&FN Spon.
24. Rapoport, A.: History and Precedent in Environmental Design. s.l.:New York:
Springer(1990).
25. Reed, B.: An introduction to visual impact assessment. Loughborough:
Loughborough: WEDC, Loughborough University(2011).
26. Thomas, D.: Architecture and the Urban Environment: A Vision for the New Age.
s.l.:Architectural Press; 1st edition(2002).
27. Tibbalds, F.: Making People-Friendly Towns: Improving the Public Environment
in Towns and Cities. s.l.:Longman(1992).
28. Vujcic, M. et al.: Nature based solution for improving mental health and well-
being in urban areas.. Environ., Volume
https://www.academia.edu/37345223/Nature_based_solution_for_improving_men
tal_health_and_well_being_in_urban_areas, pp. 385-392(2017).
29. Wang, Y. et al.: Willingness to pay for sponge city program from a perceived
value perspective.. Clean. Prod, Volume
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339117706_Received_vs_Given_Willin
gness_to_Pay_for_Sponge_City_Program_from_a_Perceived_Value_Perspective(
2022).
30. Weber Ralf, S. J. J. T.: Aesthetics of streetscapes: Influence of fundamental
properties on aesthetic judgments of urban space.. s.l.:Perceptual and Motor
Skills(2008).
31. Wu,et al.: Variation of hydro-environment during past four decades with
underground sponge city planning to control flash floods in Wuhan, China: An
overview.. Underground Space, Volume
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2467967418301545, pp. 184-
19(2020)
32. Zweynert, A.: Sponges, urban forests and air corridors: how nature can
cool cities, s.l.: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles (2017).

View publication stats