Engineering Life Below the Surface

To support healthy tree establishment within paved areas, the project incorporated Citygreen systems to create protected, functional rooting environments under load-bearing surfaces.

The documented Citygreen solution included:

• Stratavault Generation 6 (primary soil vault system)
• Stratacell 30 Series (SC250) (used in more constrained areas)
• RootStop RSB1200 root barrier
• FilterGrid non-woven filter fabric
• Miradrain 9900 drainage board
• PVC soil inspection ports
• Integrated sub-soil drainage system

Across the eight zones (A–H), this approach supported an estimated 40–50 treepits, enabling a consistent strategy for tree performance and hardscape durability.

Species Selection

The planting palette documented in the project information includes:

• Acer spp. (Maples)
• Ginkgo biloba
• Celtis occidentalis (Hackberry)
• Quercus spp. (Oaks)

This mix supports canopy form and resilience while helping diversify the streetscape planting.

Outcomes & Lessons

Urban Place-Making
Transforms a hardscape-heavy development edge into a greener, more comfortable public realm with long-term streetscape character.

Tree Health + Pavement Strength
Demonstrates how protected soil and root management strategies support tree establishment in load-bearing, paved conditions.

Repeatable Design Framework
The A–H zone approach provides a scalable model for distributing tree infrastructure across an entire site rather than treating each tree as an isolated detail.

Practical Long-Term Management
Elements such as inspection ports and integrated drainage support ongoing maintenance visibility and performance.The plaza, while modest, serves as a gateway node in this emerging green corridor as a place to rest, gather, and enjoy the urban landscape.

Looking Ahead

Valhalla Town Square Phase 1 reflects a practical shift in urban landscape delivery: prioritising what happens below the pavement to improve what the public experiences above it. By supporting trees with engineered underground systems, the project sets up the planting to mature into meaningful canopy—strengthening the public realm over time.

The idea began as a grassroots vision. Local people asking, “What if Lurline could be beautiful again?” That simple question gave rise to Treeline Lurline, a bold re-imagining of Katoomba’s historic street.

Formed by local residents, artists, landscapers, and business owners, the Treeline Lurline group is the driving force behind the project, advocating for the revitalization of Lurline Street and helping shape its design and identity. The group is auspiced by the Katoomba Chamber of Commerce & Community. Their efforts led to the partnership with Blue Mountains City Council, which brought the vision to life through technical design and construction.

The name itself, Treeline Lurline, emerged from community brainstorming in the early stages of the project. It captured both the physical ambition to restore a continuous avenue of trees along the street, and the poetic aspiration: to bring life, shade, and storytelling back to Lurline Street.

Ron Powell, a former NSW Government Landscape Architect and member of the Treeline Lurline Committee prepared the initial concept sketches on which the project is based, noting, “A visually strong avenue of majestic trees was essential to achieve the vision.”

Stage One was funded with $4 million from the Australian Government’s Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Program, following the devastating 2019-20 fires. Construction began in 2024 and by March 2025, the first section stretching from Waratah Street to Merriwa Street was complete.

From the outset, the project aimed to do more than beautify a tired street. It aimed to restore a sense of identity, enhance public life, and tackle the growing challenges of climate resilience in an urban context. The return of a tree canopy was central - a homage to the avenue of trees first planted in 1905 and removed by the Council in the late 1950s.

The vision: 1.4 km avenue of advanced street trees to eventually form a spectacular arched canopy from Waratah Street junction at the bottom of Katoomba town centre to the Forster Road junction overlooking Echo Point.

Stormwater management was a critical concern. Frequent pooling and runoff threatened both the street’s condition and its long-term functionality. At the same time, the street had to tell the story of Katoomba, its heritage, creativity, and deep ties to the landscape and traditional owners. All of this had to be done in a way that supported the local economy and could serve as a replicable model for towns across the country facing similar infrastructure and climate challenges.

The design team responded with a solution that was both technical and poetic.

Instead of conventional tree pits, the Citygreen Design Studio engineered a continuous root zone beneath the street using Stratavault soil cells. These modular units replaced compacted road base with a strong yet porous matrix, allowing trees to access large volumes of healthy soil and oxygen while still supporting pavements and parked vehicles above.

On each side of the street, nearly 190 metres of trench was excavated and filled with over 390 cubic metres of amended native soil, all held within the Stratavault matrix. These trenches provided a shared root zone for 20 advanced Liquidambar styraciflua trees, each planted at five to six metres tall. Importantly, the system allowed the roots to grow laterally and interact, creating a healthier underground ecosystem than isolated pits could ever offer.

Water was treated as a design ally, not an enemy. Each trench was fitted with 100 mm slotted subsoil drains laid at a 0.5% fall. The trench walls, cast in permeable no-fines concrete, allowed lateral water movement. Above, porous paving zones captured rainfall and filtered it through to the root zone. In this way, the entire street became a passive irrigation system soaking, storing, and slowly releasing water where it was needed most.

The power was underground to allow the trees full access to the sky and healthy growth unhindered by lopping around power lines.

Treeline Lurline Committee group spokesperson, Ron Powell praised the outcomes to date, “The current success of liquidambar trees planted in Stratavaults is a fitting reward for this collaboration between the community and Blue Mountains City Council.”

As the trees mature, they are expected to form a continuous shaded canopy along the boulevard, reduce stormwater runoff by up to 80%, and lower local surface temperatures by several degrees on hot summer days, advancing the project’s livability and climate resilience goals.

Stormwater resilience has visibly improved. Residents have reported that rain now filters into the porous paving rather than flowing unchecked down gutters, reducing pooling and erosion. The soil cell system and drainage network work together to store water for slow release to the trees, ensuring better survival during dry spells.

Locals linger longer. Visitors pause more often. The street no longer feels like a forgotten route to somewhere else. It is becoming a place in its own right.

Treeline Lurline isn’t just about trees. It’s about resilience. About heritage. About joy. It’s proof that small towns can lead in sustainability, that local voices matter, and that infrastructure can be a canvas for community expression.

The design called for a suspended pavement system - a layered installation where pavers sit atop a structural matrix, allowing uncompacted soil and healthy root zones to exist below. Within each tree zone, a matrix of modular Stratavault™ units was installed, filled with engineered soil, and capped with geotextile and surface paving.

This approach achieved multiple goals:

• Expanded available soil space for tree roots
• Preserved hardscape integrity for foot and vehicle traffic
• Prevented future root heave and infrastructure damage
• Enabled the trees to access oxygen, moisture, and nutrients at scale

Stratavault not only met the load-bearing requirements for the plaza and surrounding street trees but offered a vastly expanded root zone compared to conventional urban tree plantings, allowing the trees to thrive rather than merely survive.

For the City of Portsmouth, this plaza design supports long-term tree health, aligning with its goals for climate resilience, pedestrian connectivity, and increased canopy coverage in urban corridors. Where many cities have seen street trees fail prematurely due to soil compaction and lack of space, the AC Marriott Hotel plaza flips that script.

These trees are expected to mature into full-shade canopy providers, helping cool the hardscape, reduce the heat island effect, and create a welcoming environment between two anchor destinations: the hotel and 3S Artspace, a cultural venue next door. This project sets a new bar for how hotels and private developments can contribute to the public realm.

From the outset, the design team faced several complex challenges typical of dense, high-traffic urban sites:

• limited soil volume
• extreme surface loads
• stormwater control
• root management

Ensuring long-term tree health in this environment demanded a rethink of traditional planting methods. Small tree pits or planter boxes would have confined root systems and stunted canopy growth, falling short of the project’s vision for a thriving, shaded public plaza.

The stadium’s expansive paved plazas also introduced structural pressures. The landscape had to support maintenance vehicles and crowds of thousands while still providing a continuous underground soil zone where trees could grow unimpeded. Any solution needed to balance load-bearing strength with soil porosity— a task beyond conventional techniques.

Stormwater management was another critical objective. With more than an acre of hardscape, heavy Ohio rains could create significant runoff. Rather than directing this water into municipal drains, the design aimed to capture, filter, and reuse it on-site to nourish the trees and relieve the stormwater system.

Root management presented the final piece of the puzzle. The team needed a way to guide roots to develop strong, deep structures that would also protect pavements and utilities as the trees matured. These intersecting challenges - soil, structure, water, and root control - called for an integrated green infrastructure system.

To address these complex challenges, the design team partnered with Citygreen to implement a series of integrated green infrastructure solutions that would make the stadium’s landscape both resilient and visually seamless.

The design team conceived a hidden, load-bearing forest floor under the stadium. At the heart of the solution was

the Stratavault™ soil cell system to unlock generous root zones beneath the stadium’s paved concourses. Beneath the plazas, an interconnected grid of Stratavault modules were installed to form large, uncompacted soil chambers capable of supporting healthy tree growth, while simultaneously carrying the heavy surface loads of crowds and maintenance vehicles above.

The Stratavault structure preserves around 95% of the soil’s natural volume and porosity, allowing tree roots to expand freely while the system’s lattice of interlocking cells distributes loads evenly. This combination of strength and permeability ensures that trees can thrive long-term without compromising the integrity of the hardscape.

The Stratavault system also doubled as a stormwater management network. Rainfall that lands on the plaza and surrounding walkways filters through permeable paving and inlets into the Stratavault matrix below. There, the soil acts as a natural sponge absorbing, filtering, and holding water for gradual release. This process nourishes the trees passively while easing the strain on city drains during

Ohio’s intense storms. Instead of treating stormwater as runoff to be removed, the landscape now captures and reuses it as a resource, embodying low-impact development principles in action.

Vertical root directors and barriers guide root systems downward, encouraging deep anchorage and preventing surface upheaval and pipe intrusion. By establishing controlled root growth from the start, the design effectively eliminates one of the most common maintenance issues in urban landscapes, while enhancing the trees’ long-term stability and resilience against wind and weather.

Completed in mid-2021, the Columbus Crew Stadium now stands not only as a premier soccer stadium but also as a showcase of green infrastructure in action.

On opening day, fans arriving at the stadium were greeted by the shade of young trees and the aesthetic of a well- integrated landscape that felt like a natural extension of the neighbouring park and riverfront.

Approximately 40 new trees were planted around the stadium concourses and entry plazas, each one positioned in its Stratavault habitat. In the two growing seasons since, those trees have already begun to flourish – a testament to their favourable underground environment.

The uncompacted soil and passive irrigation from stored rainwater have given the trees a strong start, even through the hot Ohio summers. This suggests a promising trajectory: these trees are expected to form a mature canopy in five years, providing extensive shade and cooling to what was once an entirely paved site. The benefits will be tangible to visitors who linger in the plazas on sunny days, enjoying cooler temperatures and the ambiance of greenery in what could have been a heat-trapping concrete expanse.

The stormwater strategy has already proven its worth as well. During heavy rains, instead of water sheeting off the plaza and overwhelming drains, much of it percolates down through permeable joints and inlets into the soil vaults below. Observations after recent thunderstorms showed little to no surface flooding around the stadium – the engineered soil system absorbed and slowed the runoff. This not only protects the venue from puddles and slick surfaces, but it also contributes to Columbus’s broader efforts to reduce storm sewer overflows. Essentially, the stadium’s landscape is performing like a giant rain garden, treating and using rain where it falls

Perhaps the most compelling outcome of the Columbus Crew Stadium project is the way it marries civic space with ecological function. The design overcame the old dichotomy of “either a functional stadium or a green park” by proving it could be both. The stadium plazas are not just pathways to the entrances; they are vibrant public spaces where community members can gather under the dappled shade of trees even on non-game days.

As other cities look to rejuvenate their public venues and infrastructure, the Columbus Crew Stadium case stands as an inspiration. It shows how investing in quality soil systems, smart tree pit design, and root management can pay dividends in beauty, resilience, and performance.

While the finished project feels effortless, delivering this highly accessible public realm on a flood-prone waterfront was anything but. The plaza, bosque, and tree plantings sit entirely atop a two-level underground parking structure

built below sea level. Growing trees and supporting heavy foot traffic on what is essentially a rooftop deck introduced serious structural and horticultural constraints.

The landscape architects, led by Fathom Studio and Brackish Design, were tasked with creating a lush, enduring public garden atop concrete, in a location battered by salt spray, winds, hurricanes, and tidal surges. To address these compounding challenges, they employed a multi-layered strategy:

• Elevate the site above the original grade to pre-empt sea level rise while maintaining pedestrian accessibility.
• Use Citygreen’s Stratavault™ structural soil vault system to provide healthy soil volumes over structure.
• Select robust native and salt-tolerant plant species capable of withstanding maritime conditions.
• Engineer subsurface drainage and stormwater systems to protect the garage and adjacent heritage structures.

In addition, the area’s historic significance complicated excavation. Archaeological discoveries, including remnants of the original seawalls from 1749, required design agility and close coordination with heritage consultants to ensure preservation.

Central to the landscape strategy was the use of Citygreen’s engineered soil cell system, Stratavault™. This modular technology allowed the landscape architects to provide uncompacted, aerated soil volumes under paved surfaces, critical for tree root development in constrained urban sites. Under the grand plaza and Lower Water Street, Stratavault cells form a continuous matrix that:

• Supports full-grown canopy trees over structure without overloading the slab.
• Allows for extensive root systems to flourish below paving without causing surface upheaval.
• Accommodates stormwater infiltration, reducing runoff and providing passive irrigation.

The flexibility of the Stratavault system also allowed the team to navigate around underground utilities and structural columns without sacrificing tree viability. Tree pits were connected below grade, creating shared soil ecosystems that promote long-term health and resiliency.

At the heart of Queen’s Marque is the “Lost Ship Bosque,” an elevated gallery of maple trees planted in a long, raised planter that conceals the garage roof and offers deeper soil volumes. The planter edges double as custom wood benches, turning infrastructure into amenity.

Around the bosque, the landscape is enriched with native grasses and shrubs evocative of Nova Scotia’s coastal ecosystems. These plantings not only enhance biodiversity but offer seasonal interest and salt resilience.

Stormwater is managed at source: permeable paving, integrated drainage, and strategic grading direct runoff into the Stratavault zones. Here, it is filtered through soil

and absorbed by tree roots, reducing load on municipal systems while increasing tree survivability during dry periods.

The decision to invest in green infrastructure also supports social sustainability. The site’s generous shade canopy, seating, and walkable surfaces make it more inclusive and accessible for a wide range of users. From joggers to families, seniors to school groups, Queen’s Marque provides a diversity of experiences that reflect the city’s civic character. Seasonal events, art installations, and spontaneous gatherings all find a home here, reaffirming that green infrastructure isn’t just functional – it’s cultural.

Materials throughout the site reinforce its maritime identity. Salvaged granite and cobblestones from the old wharf have been repurposed into retaining walls and seating. Locally quarried sandstone complements new paving, while Muntz metal – historically used for ship hulls – appears in accents and signage.

Custom furnishings echo the “wrack line,” the edge where sea debris collects. Long, curving benches mimic tide lines, offering rest spots that blend narrative and function. The use of reclaimed and local materials not only grounds

the design but reduces the project’s embodied carbon footprint.

A focal point of the public realm is Queen’s Landing, a wide granite staircase that descends directly into the harbour. Engineered to withstand coastal conditions, the steps were pre-fabricated and installed during tight tidal windows. Today, they serve as both civic stage and contemplative perch – a literal invitation to touch the Atlantic.

Outcomes and Legacy

Since its completion, Queen’s Marque has become a vibrant destination for events, recreation, and daily life. It exemplifies how private development can deliver high-quality, climate-resilient public realm. Its success proves that with the right tools, like engineered soil vaults, adaptive grading, and nature-based design, even the most constrained sites can become green, generous places.

For professionals across planning, civil engineering, and landscape architecture, Queen’s Marque offers a case study in integrated design, collaborative problem-solving, and the power of green infrastructure to transform waterfronts into beloved civic spaces.

But the trees do more than grow. Each tree pit is connected to a stormwater harvesting network,transforming the expansive hardscape plaza into a natural filter for rainfall. Rather than sending runoff into drains, rainwater percolates into the soil beneath the plaza, nourishing the trees while simultaneously reducing pollutant loads into nearby waterways.

In a region where protecting the Chesapeake Bay is a shared environmental priority, such bioretention strategies are both practical and symbolic. The modular Stratavault system was installed to create a continuous trench of tree-supporting soil beneath paved surfaces,allowing for maximum infiltration and root connectivity.This design helped the project meet Montgomery County’s stringent water quality requirements and contributed to its LEED Gold certification.

From the earliest planning phases, Alexandria envisioned the plaza as more than just a landscape feature. It would become a place to gather, reflect, and recharge. Wrapped by the new lab building and its garage, the open plaza offers a critical dose of daylight, greenery, and comfort for campus occupants.

Shaded seating areas invite researchers and staff to step outside during the day, while the young, but rapidly growing trees promise cooling relief during summer months in years to come. The design reflects a broader movement in urban development: to embed wellness into the core of the built environment.

That wellness mission was further amplified with the opening of the BioHub Maryland Training Center inside the building. Run by the Maryland Tech Council, the 8,200 square foot facility trains the next generation of life science professionals, including veterans and individuals without four-year degrees. This initiative provides an essential social service: giving Maryland residents the skills to access high-paying biopharma jobs while helping local companies fill urgent staffing needs.

The presence of this center in the heart of the biotech corridor brings opportunity to the doorstep of one of the state’s most important industries. The plaza outside complements this social mission, serving as both a workplace amenity and a symbol of the community’s investment in people.

The economic outcomes of the project are just as compelling. By delivering premium lab space in an amenity-rich setting, Alexandria responded to surging demand for high-quality biotech real estate. The project attracted early tenants, including Trillium Bio and STCube, with more leases signed soon after opening. But more than square footage, companies were drawn by what the campus represents: a resilient, future-ready hub with embedded wellness and environmental performance. The landscape design plays a quiet but vital role in that appeal.

Thanks to the Stratavault system, the trees in the plaza are more than decorative or token. With root paths directed safely below ground, the surrounding hardscape is protected from upheaval. The design also supports compliance with stormwater mandates, potentially

reducing utility fees and avoiding costly retrofits. These are not just aesthetic upgrades, they are operational strategies with measurable returns.

In parallel, the BioHub training center brings lasting economic uplift to the region. Supported by $4.25 million in public funding, the facility trains Maryland residents for careers in biomanufacturing, quality control, and lab operations, many of which do not require advanced degrees. Companies benefit from a local, skilled talent pool. Workers gain access to stable, high-paying jobs. The region cements its status as a national leader in biotech innovation. The project is a case study in how strategic design, green infrastructure, and workforce development can align to produce value for businesses, communities,and ecosystems alike.

A Blueprint for Resilient, Human-Centered Development

9808 Medical Center Drive illustrates how landscape,infrastructure, and building performance can work together to shape not just a campus, but a community.

The project leverages Citygreen technology to deliver outcomes that are environmental, social, and financial in equal measure. Its success rests not just in square footage or lab fitouts, but in the systems beneath the surface that manage water, nurture trees, and create space for people. As life science developers increasingly look to create places that serve people and planet, this project shows what’s possible when green infrastructure is embedded into the core of urban design.

The Challenge: Growing Trees in a Complex Urban Landscape

Downtown Edmonton presents significant challenges for urban greening. The hard-packed soils typical of urban environments severely limit root development, leading to stunted tree growth and premature failure. Trees planted in such conditions often become infrastructure liabilities rather than assets, damaging pavements and requiring frequent replacements.

Additionally, existing infrastructure, including roadways, sidewalks, and underground utilities, limits the available space for tree roots to grow. Without a solution that could create healthy, uncompacted soil volumes below the pavement, the vision for a connected canopy would remain out of reach.

The Solution: Stratavault Engineered Soil Vaults

The transformation would be delivered in two phases. Phase one, completed between 2015 and 2016, extending from 111th Street to 116th Street (the focus of this case study). With funding cycles and project performance taken into account, phase two began in 2021 and carried through to 2023, continuing the same design approach from 116th to 109th Street.

To overcome these challenges, the City of Edmonton turned to Citygreen’s Stratavault system, a modular soil vault solution designed to support large volumes of healthy, uncompacted soil beneath pavements. These engineered cells build a matrix that caters for strong root development while simultaneously protecting surrounding infrastructure.

Installed under sidewalks and adjacent to tree planting areas, Stratavault enables trees to access the nutrients, air, and water they need for optimal growth.

Crucially, the system is designed to be structurally load-bearing, able to support surface infrastructure like pavements and street furniture without compromising root space.

In the case of 105th Avenue, the Stratavault system allowed soil volumes and root growth zones to be extended under walkways and hard surfaces, significantly increasing the rooting space available to each tree and giving them the best possible chance at long-term success.

Edmonton’s climate features significant seasonal variations, with dry summers and long, cold winters, making efficient water use and stormwater control key considerations for the project. The solution included permeable paving and large pipe

sweeps to be integrated into the Stratavault matrix. The design would restore natural systems in the urban environment, ensuring stormwater run off would be directed into the tree pits, being filtered by the roots and passively irrigating the trees.

This reduces the need for maintenance and supplemental irrigation, and helps manage runoff during heavy rainfall events, preventing water from overwhelming city drainage systems.

Since installation, the newly planted trees have flourished - growing rapidly and delivering the projected ten year canopy in just four years.The selected tree species have adapted well to the conditions provided by the Stratavault system, demonstrating vigorous health, strong root development, and early canopy closure.

This rapid growth has also brought cooling benefits to the corridor. By shading pavement and softening reflective surfaces, the new trees have helped reduce localized urban heat, making the street significantly more comfortable for pedestrians and cyclists during hot summer months.

The change along the avenue has been dramatic. Where there was once a gray, concrete-heavy environment, there is now a shaded, green, and welcoming streetscape. The project has enhanced not only visual appeal but also walkability and community use of the corridor.

In addition to environmental benefits, the newly established canopy supports biodiversity by attracting birds and pollinators, adding to the ecological richness of Edmonton’s urban core.

City officials and residents alike have expressed strong support and satisfaction with the transformation. The success of the project has demonstrated that high performance green infrastructure can be integrated into even the most constrained urban settings when guided by science, thoughtful design, and the right technology.

Outcomes and Lessons for Future Urban Greening

Citygreen worked closely with the City of Edmonton throughout the planning and implementation process, providing technical support, product expertise, and tailored design recommendations to meet the city’s specific needs. By leveraging Citygreen’s experience and solutions, Edmonton was able to create an urban canopy that is both functional and beautiful - setting a new benchmark for downtown streetscapes across Canada.

Key takeaways include:

• Soil Volume Matters: Healthy, uncompacted soil is the foundation of successful urban trees. Without it, trees struggle to survive, let alone thrive.

• Engineering for Resilience: Stratavault allows green infrastructure to coexist with a range of underground utilities and services.

• Fast ROI on Tree Investments: With proper soil conditions, trees grow faster and provide shading, cooling, and aesthetic returns much earlier than
expected.

• Community Value: Well-planned tree planting enhances walkability, comfort, biodiversity, and civic pride.

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.