From Beacon Mountain’s covered overlook, users will be able to take in panoramic views of the Puget Sound. But the real fun lies at the users feet where their friends will be bounding through the sprayground, down curving embankment slides or maybe even sneaking in a ride on the ziplines.

Like the relationship between Beacon Hill and the Duwamish River Valley, Beacon Mountain rises above the surrounding landscape of Jefferson Park. At the foot of the hill, a sequence of water elements—a cistern, a rain garden, porous pavements and a sprayground—combines the best of natural and industrial processes to demonstrate a more sustainable strategy for urban hydrology.

The sprayground is a recirculating system using only low-flow, in-ground spray elements. After the water is dumped from the recirculation system it is pumped through filters into a large cistern and then slowly released into a large rain garden via an underground drip irrigation system. The plants and soils further clean the water before it infiltrates, showing today’s kids the kind of simple and sustainable solutions they can define for tomorrow.

Beacon Mountain solar picnic shelter rendering	Beacon Mountain conceptual study model