It may appear to be an average playground, but the GreenGround developed for Camden, NJ at The University of Rutgers–Camden will be a functional and sustainable surface for children to play on. GreenGround is a solution to flooding and soil contaminants in the the ground around Camden, NJ based on technology developed by the University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center’s Porous Asphalt Pavement and Infiltration Beds. Traditional pavement methods are being transformed so that water can penetrate the pavement instead of pooling at the top. Within the layers, it also contains uranium eating bacteria to help remove contaminants in the soil and is topped with moss that prospers in sunlight such as Sagina subulata to create a soft play surface. This surface can also double as a way to help decrease lead levels in the soil.
This project is a representation of how a playground can be transformed into a healthier environment for children to play on that can also clean up the community. It is a message of how our world needs to remove the harmful contaminants to protect for future generations. Through creating a natural environment in a post industrial city, fresher air and fauna will return while contaminants are removed. This project is a representation of the past and future of planet earth. The hot pavement atop many layers of earth and materials represent the history of our planet both with and without humans. The old and dangerous materials sit at the lower layers of this project and as you reach further towards the surface industrial technology is overtaken by natural green flora. The impact humans have on their environment will always have mother nature working to once again reclaim a space and return it to its original beauty.
GreenGround can be used in playgrounds across the planet as a safe surface that makes a safer surface for children in any weather condition. It is a sustainable surface that keeps acts as a sponge when a child may fall. This could also be used in parking lots and sidewalks as a green pathway for people to walk on. The porous pavement allows for the surface level to have little to no pooling while still helping to clean the air and soil. It is a solution to the major flooding and contamination issues that many cities face.
https://www.unh.edu/unhsc/sites/unh.edu.unhsc/files/pubs_specs_info/unhsc_pa_spec_10_09.pdf
Art & Sustainability 