Maplewood
Nature Center contacted Nolan King this summer in order to inspire
and create an aesthetically pleasing rainwater irrigation system for the
public to enjoy. This system was designed to collect the rainwater
through the building's downspout, which then transfers the water through
a water trough, where the water trickles down a chain system into the
custom designed planter box. Here the water feeds the plants and
flowers, and then is routed through another trough to a secondary
planter box, and ultimately travels through a decorative concrete
channel partially under the sidewalk to a large rain garden across the
way. The custom designed planter box was designed by Nolan King. Many
hours were spent sculpting the clay relief which was of great blue
herons, cattails, and miscellaneous critters. The image was then sprayed
with a rubber membrane by Paul
Nasvick, Milestone Inc., which then became
the form liner used inside the
symon forms.
Cemstone
provided an
ICF
concrete mix, which was acid stained with
Scolfield's
Faded Terra
Cotta
that created a very rustic, natural feel to the concrete surface of the
planter box. The ultimate design of the planter box incorporated a
mixed media of concrete, steel, wood and stone.
On
the
opposite
side of the building we created a rain water channel next to a roman
slate stamped concrete sidewalk. The channel will have a rain collection
barrel
at the starting point, which will have an on/off valve for kids to feed
the rain gardens at the end of the channel.
