Bioretention Animation

As an engineer, a common challenge I encounter is how to best convey technical information to an audience without experience or knowledge on the topic. One method I have found particularly helpful is the use of art and graphics to visualize scientific concepts. In my spare time, I am an avid painter and artist, so any time I get the chance to combine these two worlds I take it!

This is one example that demonstrates how I overlap my work as an engineer and an artist. During my first internship with Robinson Design Engineers (RDE), I was tasked with figuring out how to best convey information about how various stormwater control devices work to a homeowner’s association. The lake within their neighborhood had been facing water quality issues due to erosion caused by runoff from the surrounding impervious surfaces (e.g. roads, driveways). To combat this, RDE came up with a series of small-scale nature-based solutions distributed throughout the neighborhood to slow and infiltrate water, prevent downstream erosion, and restore the water quality of the lake.

However, the HOA had concerns about how these nature-based designs work. I decided to tackle this problem with a visual element by creating an animation that depicts the function of a bioretention basin. The animation shows how the device traps sediment in the forebay, provides an aesthetically pleasing habitat for pollinators, and can handle stormwater flows through the use of its underdrain system. The animation was well received by the HOA and helped enhance their understanding of what was being implemented within their community.