Gdańsk, Gdansk (FUA), Poland
City population: 1098379
Duration: 2023 – 2023
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Public Greenspace Area
Last updated: March 2025

The Rain Garden 2.0 project at Gdańsk University of Technology is an innovative green infrastructure initiative that manages and purifies rainwater while enhancing biodiversity. Part of the international NICE (Nature-based solutions for urban climate adaptation) initiative, this project serves as a living hub for testing solutions to address urban climate challenges. Opened in July 2023, the rain garden exemplifies a multifunctional approach to water retention, pollutant filtration, and urban biodiversity support. It is located behind the Faculty of Chemistry's Building C and has a capacity exceeding 11 cubic meters. (Ref. 1; Ref. 6) The garden, designed by researchers from the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering under the leadership of Prof. Magdalena Gajewska, captures rainwater runoff to prevent urban flooding and mitigate the strain on storm sewer systems. It absorbs pollutants, improves water quality, and supports over 1,100 hydrophyte plants, creating a natural solution for heavy rainfall events. Beyond water management, the garden contributes significantly to urban biodiversity. Its moist soil and diverse plant species—designed to thrive in a range of conditions—help create habitats for insects and other small wildlife, boosting ecological resilience. (Ref. 1) The rain garden’s innovative design consists of several key components. The first stage channels rainwater into reservoirs, reducing the energy of inflowing water. Subsequent parts purify the water through sedimentation processes, effectively filtering out pollutants such as those from streets and roads. Early research shows that these purification methods work exceptionally well, retaining a broad spectrum of pollutants before the water reaches the garden’s main basin. The project also benefits from cutting-edge laboratory equipment, allowing for detailed monitoring and analysis of water quality. (Ref. 1)

Rain Garden 2.0 in Gdańsk
Rain Garden 2.0 in Gdańsk
Ref. 5

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Green areas for water management
  • Rain gardens

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change adaptation
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Habitat and biodiversity restoration
  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Flood protection
  • Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
  • Improvements to water quality

Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)

  • Climate-Related Hazards
  • River flooding
  • Urban flooding (stormwater)
  • Drought
  • Heat stress & Extreme temperatures
  • Environmental Degradation
  • Biodiversity loss
  • Poor water quality

Key priorities

Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)

Focus

Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Implementation of green areas for water management (e.g. rain gardens)

Project objectives

To manage rainwater effectively through innovative green infrastructure. (Ref. 1) To purify rainwater from pollutants before it enters water systems. (Ref. 1) To ensure water retention for sustainable urban water management. (Ref. 1) To protect urban areas from flash floods caused by heavy rainfall. (Ref. 1) To adapt the city to the impacts of climate change through nature-based solutions. (Ref. 1) To regulate the temperature in the immediate surroundings of the rain garden. (Ref. 1) To increase biodiversity by creating habitats and supporting native species. (Ref. 1)

Implementation activities

This project is being implemented at the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering of Gdańsk University of Technology. Gdańskie Wody designed and built the rain garden on behalf of the university. The key activities include the detailed design and construction of the garden, which has a capacity of over 11 cubic meters. The garden captures and retains rainwater, particularly during heavy rainfall, to prevent it from overwhelming the storm sewer system. The project also implemented a purification system that filters out pollutants through sedimentation processes before the water reaches the retention basin. The structure is crowned by a retention basin, in which over 1,100 hydrophyte plants have been planted. These plants are not only pleasing to the eye of PG students and employees. They are also used by bees from the university hives located nearby.The team responsible for the creation of the garden includes scientists from the Department of Technology in Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdańsk University of Technology:(1,2).

Climate-focused activities

Climate change adaptation:

  • Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect
  • Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes

Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities

Coastal communities, Urban heat islands

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity restoration:

  • Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)

Main beneficiaries

  • Researchers/University
  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Led by non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Researchers/university

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
  • Taskforce groups
  • Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
  • Co-management/Joint management

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The researchers from Gdańsk University of Technology, specifically from the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, designed the garden as part of their research initiative. Gdańskie Wody, a local utility agency, was tasked with designing and constructing the garden on behalf of the university (6). The project is part of the international NICE (Nature-based solutions for urban climate adaptation) initiative, funded by the EU. (1)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Unknown

Type of enablers

Support from transitional governance actors, NBS research project (e.g., H2020, Urban Living Labs, national research projects)

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

  • EU funds

Type of funding

  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution
  • Provision of land
  • Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
  • Other

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Climate change
  • Lowered local temperature
  • Expected lowered local temperature
  • Water management and blue areas
  • Improved water quality
  • Expected improved water quality
  • Increased protection against flooding
  • Expected increased protection against flooding
  • Improved stormwater management
  • Expected improved stormwater management
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Achieved increased green space area
  • Reduced biodiversity loss
  • Expected reduced biodiversity loss

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Unknown

Type of reported impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs

Unknown

References

1.
Politechnika Gdańska (2023). Ogród deszczowy 2.0 w Gdańsku powstał na PG. Gdańsk: Politechnika Gdańska, Accessed on August 21, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Biała, I. (2023). Piękny i eksperymentalny. Zobacz najnowszy ogród deszczowy w Gdańsku. Gdańskie Centrum Multimedialne, Accessed on August 21, 2024, [Source link];
3.
NICE (n.d.). Gdansk. NICE, Accessed on August 21, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Polish Science (2023). New rain garden created on the campus of the Gdansk University of Technology. Polish Science, Accessed on August 21, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Gdańskie Wody (n.d.). Ogród deszczowy Politechnika Gdańska. Gdańskie Wody, Accessed on August 21, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Lisowska, K. (2023). Politechnika Gdańska ma własny ogród deszczowy. Posłuży do ważnych badań. Property Design, Accessed on August 21, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Municipal Office in Gdańsk (n.d.). Gdańskie dzielnice tu mieszkam tu działam WRZESZCZ GÓRNY. Gdańsk: Municipal Office in Gdańsk, Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link];
Rain Garden 2.0 in Gdańsk
Rain Garden 2.0 in Gdańsk
Ref. 5
Rain Garden
Rain Garden
https://www.propertydesign.pl/architektura/104/politechnika_gdanska_ma_wlasny_ogrod_deszczowy_posluzy_do_waznych_badan,45067.html?mp=promo
naturescapes bannerInformation about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.