Waterworks Gardens
Lorna Jordan
South Treatment Plant
Eight acres of ponds and gardens bring beauty to wastewater treatment and habitat restoration.
Located at Renton’s South Treatment Plant, Lorna Jordan’s Waterworks Gardens is an environmental artwork that combines classical garden design, wastewater treatment infrastructure, and habitat restoration.
Stormwater runoff at the site is pumped into 11 ponds that filter out contaminants and sediments before it’s released into the wetland, where it helps to sustain plant life, microorganisms, and wildlife. Inspired by Italian gardens and their theatricality, Jordan designed a series of five garden spaces among the ponds, using native plants, stone, and mosaic to tell the story of stormwater. A “Water Walk” path weaves among them and connects with trails from the cities of Renton and Tukwila.
The progression of the gardens traces the stages of the water’s cycle: impure, working, mysterious, beautiful, and life-sustaining. At the entry to the waterworks, The Knoll provides a vista of the first treatment pond, defined by red quartzite pavers and basalt columns. The Funnel is a series of terraced, leaf-shaped ponds joined by the path, and The Grotto is a gathering space oriented around a large mosaic in the shape of a seed pod and surrounded by handmade stone seating. The Passage evokes a sense of dispersal and calm as the water slows on its way to the wetland. The Release allows the purified water to flow back into the environment.Continue Reading ›
Since it was created, Waterworks Gardens has become beloved by the community. The Grotto regularly hosts weddings, and student groups tour the treatment facility and study the surrounding flora and fauna. The plantings have grown considerably over time, and today Great Blue Herons use the site during nesting season. The integration of Jordan’s artwork into this project has become a model for King County’s other wastewater treatment projects.
Based in Seattle, Jordan (1954-2021) created artworks that blurred the boundaries between sculpture, theater, media, architecture, and ecology. Her public installations often used sustainable materials and enhanced watersheds, functioning as a form of green architecture. Other 4Culture projects include Justice Garden Path at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, WA.