Apiary Studio partnered with the Nature Conservancy and CH2M to produce a rain garden from inception to installation at W B Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences in the Roxborough neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia, as part of a pilot program to introduce students to careers in sustainable design and green infrastructure. Approximately 70 students in environmental science track and landscape construction classes engaged in a unique project-based STEM curriculum over six months to understand storm water management. The students participated fully in the design and construction of a 750 gallon cistern with accompanying plumbing; laying pervious brick paving for water flow, cutting flagstones for a foot path, excavating and grading the site, and planting and mulching over 200 plants. We have continued to work with the Nature Conservancy to develop maintenance manuals and curricula so that the program may be replicated at high schools across the country. Apiary also collaborated with Pixel Parlor to design interpretive signage that explains the purpose of the rain gardens and their role in reducing combined sewer overflows in Philadelphia.

SIZE: .1 acres

YEAR: 2017 – 2018

LOCATION: Roxborough, Philadelphia, PA