"Spongy" Neighbourhoods Can Reduce City Flooding.

The article focuses on how the Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood in Ranui, west Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand, demonstrates that medium-density, environmentally sustainable housing design can significantly reduce urban flooding. Earthsong, developed 24 years ago with principles of environmental, social, and educational sustainability, uses features such as permeable paving, rainwater harvesting, and overland stormwater swales to manage rainwater on-site, preventing house flooding during recent storms. Despite having nearly twice the dwelling density of neighboring 1960s subdivisions, Earthsong maintains a spacious, community-oriented environment with shared green spaces and productive gardens. The neighbourhood's participation in the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) Resilience Project highlights its role in fostering community agency and resilience amid climate change and social challenges. The article suggests that such "spongy" neighbourhood designs can be adapted to other medium-density developments to address environmental and social crises.