The answer lay underground. Working with Dana Brown Associates and RCI, Citygreen introduced a system that would make the site both beautiful and functional.

Beneath the hotel’s motor court and plazas, nearly 1,000 Stratavault™ soil cells were installed between four and six feet deep. These modular vaults, made from 100% recycled polymer, created vast, uncompacted soil zones capable of supporting mature canopy trees while also bearing the weight of delivery trucks and guest vehicles.

Integrated into the system was Strataflow™ stormwater design, which captures and stores runoff from half of the tower’s roof. Instead of overwhelming city drains, water is detained, filtered, and slowly released, and aeration/irrigation inlets bring air and moisture deep into the soil, ensuring that trees can flourish despite the paved surface above.

As landscape architect Chris Africh explained, “Below the entire paved space are Stratavaults to handle roof runoff from half of the building. They’re controlled by a weir to release water at a desired rate to meet the city’s
stormwater code.”

The installation of this hidden infrastructure was anything but simple. Crews had to coordinate vault placement with concrete pours, underground utilities, and other construction trades. On top of this, global supply chain delays loomed large, and midway through construction Hurricane Ida struck New Orleans directly.

Despite these challenges, the project remained on track. Citygreen engineers were on-site, helping adapt the design to the realities of construction. John Tipton of RCI reflected, “As at the Four Seasons, a majority of our work is underground. Early collaboration with Citygreen allowed us to align technical design with construction realities and deliver successfully under tough conditions.”

Today, guests arriving at the Four Seasons are welcomed into a shaded, green motor court framed by Creole Queen elms, camellias, magnolias, and hedges. The space feels effortless, with cooling canopies softening the Louisiana sun and lush plantings creating a tranquil foreground to the hotel’s grandeur.

What they don’t see is just as important. Beneath their feet, tens of thousands of gallons of stormwater are detained during every major storm, filtered through engineered soils before being released into the city’s drainage network. Tree roots stretch wide in uncompacted sandy loam, irrigated passively by the very runoff that once threatened to flood the site. Pavements remain level, protected from root heave, and the entire system operates quietly without pumps or mechanical intervention.

As one project partner put it: “When hotel guests look out over the Mississippi with a cocktail in hand, they have no idea what lies beneath—a sophisticated green infrastructure system ensuring both comfort and climate
resilience.” And after just 4 year’s growth, the trees are an impressive - a picture of health and significant shade
cover canopy.

The Four Seasons New Orleans proves that luxury hospitality and climate resilience can share the same ground. By embedding Stratavault soil cells and a closed-loop stormwater management system beneath its plazas, the development not only complies with stringent city codes but also creates an inviting, climate-smart landscape for generations to come.

In a city where rising seas and intense storms are part of daily life, the project demonstrates what is possible when green infrastructure is planned from the start. The result is a precedent setting model: a hotel landscape
that looks effortless above ground, but beneath the surface, quietly safeguards the future.