Tag Archive for: San Diego Architectural Foundation

A Reason To Survive (ARTS) interns co-designed, fabricated, and installed seven new pieces of community art at the Sweetwater Spigot, elevating a free water source and highlighting the importance of water conservation. Photo: A Reason To Survive

Ribbon Cutting For New Public Art at Sweetwater Spigot on Sept. 10

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Sweetwater Authority invites the public to a community celebration and ribbon cutting for a new public artwork project titled “Ripple Effect” at the Sweetwater Spigot, the only publicly owned well station providing potable drinking water in San Diego County.

The event takes place on Wednesday, September 10, at 9:30 a.m. in El Toyon Park in National City. The water station is located at 1925 E. 4th Street by El Toyon Park, near the Interstate 805 bridge.

The Sweetwater Spigot before and after its renovation and makeover. Photo: San Diego Architectural Foundation

The Sweetwater Spigot before and after its renovation and makeover. Photo: San Diego Architectural Foundation

Ripple Effect represents a community-based partnership between City of National City, the Sweetwater Authority, the nonprofit A Reason To Survive (ARTS), and the National City-based Design and Fabrication team at ARTIST AND EXILE dba F-GMENT, where young people co-designed, fabricated, and installed seven new pieces of community art, elevating a free water source and highlighting the importance of water conservation.

The City of National City obtained funding for the public art enhancement to beautify the water station area through Caltrans’ Clean California Grant Fund.

Ripple Effect is nominated this year in the Public Art category in the annual San Diego Architectural Foundation “Orchids & Onions” awards. SDAF recognizes projects in the built environment with an impact on the San Diego region, whether positive or negative.

ARTS Interns Create New Public Artwork at Sweetwater Spigot

A Reason To Survive (ARTS) intern Addie E. works on the artwork titled "Mother Nature’s Conversion of Conservation" now installed at the Sweetwater Spigot. Photo: A Reason To Survive

A Reason To Survive (ARTS) intern Addie E. works on the artwork titled “Mother Nature’s Conversion of Conservation” now installed at the Sweetwater Spigot. Photo: A Reason To Survive

Five interns from ARTS invested 300 hours of work through its apprenticeship training program. ARTS provides arts education focused on design thinking, cultural equity, and healing-centered engagement to youth in the South County communities of San Diego County.

ARTS Youth Intern Addie E. worked on “Mother Nature’s Conversion of Conservation,” one of the seven artworks. She said of the experience, “I think it’s made me quite confident. I feel very happy that I’ve been able to excel and that I’ve been able to have an impact in the community. I mean, this is already brightening people’s days! It’s only been here for a short while, but there’s just been so much positive feedback.”

The finished artwork "Mother Nature’s Conversion of Conservation" is already drawing attention from visitors. Photo: A Reason To Survive

The finished artwork “Mother Nature’s Conversion of Conservation” is already drawing attention from visitors. Photo: A Reason To Survive

Groundwater Sources Remain Key Water Supply

The free water station is operated by the Sweetwater Authority and is open to the public for drawing water from a local well.

The station draws water from the San Diego Formation. The San Diego Formation is a geological feature primarily composed of marine sandstone and conglomerate sediments. It was formed roughly 1.5 million to 3.5 million years ago. This thick wedge of sediment acts as an important aquifer in the region, with ample storage capacity in the Lower and Middle Sweetwater Basins.

This aquifer is one of two groundwater sources used by the Sweetwater Authority. It draws groundwater from deep wells located in the San Diego Formation to help supply water to its customers. It is naturally filtered, then disinfected, and tested for safety before being offered to the public.

Sweetwater Authority customers receive an average of 70% of their water from local water supplies, including the Sweetwater River and the San Diego Groundwater Formation. The remainder is obtained from imported water sources.

The public is invited to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 10 for "Ripple Effect" at the Sweetwater Spigot. Photo: Sweetwater Authority

The public is invited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 10 for “Ripple Effect” at the Sweetwater Spigot. Photo: Sweetwater Authority

Any member of the public can access the well water directly from the spigots. The Sweetwater Authority provides water free of charge as part of a commitment it made when it acquired the water wells from the city upon its formation in 1977.

 

Native, water-wise plants thrive in one of the Helix Water District's demonstration gardens. Photo: Helix Water District

Helix Water District Demonstration Garden Wins Orchid Award

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Helix Water District received an Orchid Award for Landscape Architecture from the San Diego Architectural Foundation at its 2023 annual Orchids and Onions architecture and design awards gala on October 5. The Orchid Award went to the district for its WaterSmart Demonstration Garden. The Demonstration Garden is located at the Helix administration office in La Mesa.

“We are honored to be recognized for our WaterSmart Demonstration Garden,” said Helix Water District Board President Kathleen Coates Hedberg. “This award is a testament to the fact that you can create thriving, sustainable gardens here in East San Diego County that are both beautiful and water efficient.”

Demonstration Garden provides inspiration

The Helix Water District demonstration garden includes interactive elements such as descriptive signs with QR codes that visitors can scan to learn more about specific plants. Photo: Helix Water District

The Helix Water District demonstration garden includes interactive elements such as descriptive signs with QR codes that visitors can scan to learn more about specific plants. Photo: Helix Water District

The District installed its WaterSmart Demonstration Garden to beautify the neighborhood and inspire others to install water-efficient landscapes. Outdoor water use typically accounts for half of a home’s water use. Through planning and a vision for the community, the district was able to transform its tired and overgrown landscape into the thriving, lush, and colorful gardens there today.

McCullough Landscape Architecture designed the garden to showcase three styles of landscapes that are adapted to the local climate and need half to a fifth of the water that a traditional lawn needs. The Mediterranean, desert, and California-native gardens include plant markers with QR codes. Scan the code with your smartphone to see each plant’s name, sun and water needs, and mature size.

All plants chosen for the Helix Water District Demonstration Garden had to be accessible to the public at local nurseries. Photo: Helix Water District

All plants chosen for the Helix Water District Demonstration Garden had to be accessible to the public at local nurseries. Photo: Helix Water District

“Our demonstration landscape shows customers that water-efficient landscaping is not just one style,” said Helix Water District Director Mark Gracyk. “You can choose plants that compliment your home and personal taste – there is an option for everyone.”

A key requirement for the design of the gardens was that all of the plants selected had to be accessible to the public at local nurseries. The plants are grouped in hydrozones based on the amount of water they need and a drip irrigation system provides automatic watering based on daily weather conditions.

The garden is open to the public for self-tours and easily accessible from the sidewalk at 7811 University Avenue in La Mesa.

Orchid Award winners exemplify environmental innovation

McCullough Landscape Architecture designed the garden to showcase three styles of landscapes that are adapted to the local climate and need half to a fifth of the water that a traditional lawn needs. Photo: Helix Water District Orchid Award

McCullough Landscape Architecture designed the garden to showcase three styles of landscapes that are adapted to the local climate and need half to a fifth of the water that a traditional lawn needs. Photo: Helix Water District

Drawing on input from both the public and professionals, the San Diego Architectural Foundation recognizes both the best and the worst of San Diego’s built environment. The architecture projects recognized as Orchids and Onions each year are nominated by the public, then reviewed and selected for awards by architecture and design professionals.

Orchid award winners must exemplify good placemaking, add to the surrounding community’s character, be skillfully and thoughtfully crafted, environmentally innovative, and elicit a sense of civic pride.

The San Diego Architectural Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education and promotion of outstanding architecture, planning, and urban design throughout the San Diego region.

(Editor’s note: The Helix Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region. For residential, business and agricultural rebates, incentives and programs, go to: www.sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/.)