Resource Rain Low Impact Development (LID) Design Challenge

Participants in Chattanooga’s Resource Rain Low Impact Development (LID) Design Challenge displayed and presented their designs at the finals event on July 10. Image credit: City of Chattanooga

Resource Rain Low Impact Development (LID) Design Challenge On July 10, the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee and green|spaces announced the winners of their Resource Rain Low Impact Development (LID) Design Challenge. With more than 200 people in attendance, teams of the area’s top landscape architects, engineers, planners, and designers gave quick, 7-minute presentations about their designs. The teams worked for four months leading up to the awards ceremony to design green infrastructure practices on four possible sites. Winners received more than $55,000 in prize money. In addition to first, second, and third-place prizes, the public also helped to select a People’s Choice Award.

The competition helped prepare participants and the community at large for the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation stormwater standards that will go into effect in December. Participants were specifically asked to use the City of Chattanooga’s stormwater management practices as a guide for their designs.

“We are excited to see the site proposals developed over the past several weeks,” said Mayor Andy Berke. “This competition is an innovative way to promote and support sustainable practices. Through this partnership, as well as the involvement of numerous talented professionals, we will have solutions to help make neighborhoods stronger throughout Chattanooga.”

The first-place team for the Broad Street site included W.M. Whitaker & Associates Landscape Architects, GeoSyntec, and Garth Brown Designers. Arcadis won first in designing the Cherokee Boulevard site, and for the urban-commercial Northgate Mall site, the first-place team included DH&W Architects, March Adams, and Casey Neal Landscape Architects. Lastly, at Bonny Oaks, a multi-family development site, the team consisting of Ragan Smith, URS, Kennon, and Calhoun Workshop took first place. Read more about the competition and winners.