Northwest Winner

Sol
Orange County School of the Arts
Orange County, CA

Student Design
Urban runoff affects all Southern Californians, especially people in Santa Ana. This Portable Biofilter Planter captures pollutants before they reach sewers. Inspired by the Zanja Madre’s visible water management, it utilizes river stones and native plants to slow floods at curbs and parking lots. By slowing floodwaters on-site, it protects homes and streets. This decentralized system can be scaled nationwide, replacing hidden drainage with beautiful flowers and community-specific design on the side.

Design from the Community
The Zanja Madre is a colonial-era, gravity-fed irrigation system that diverted river water to the pueblo, transforming arid valleys into an agricultural powerhouse. It was a visible, open part of daily life that forced the community to interact, fostering a shared identity rooted in communal stewardship.