Underground labyrinths and efficient drainage for town squares
Wherever you are in the world, town squares are key meeting points. They are usually located in central areas with a lot of foot traffic, which is why a well-planned drainage system, among other factors, is so vital.
One of the largest squares in the world is Plaza del Zócalo in Mexico City, and a truly curious feature of this square is the labyrinth of tunnels hidden under its surface, which used to be a drainage channel system.
The Aztecs, who were skilled engineers, designed a system of channels and dams to control the rainwater and prevent flooding in the city, as back then it was built on top of a lake. The Mexico City we know today used to be the ancient city of Tenochtitlan.
The system the Aztecs built in 1325, to prevent rainwater building up in the square, is what we now produce today at ULMA, just in a different way.
Here’s an example: Radomira Putnika square in the Serbian city of Kragujevac.
This large 5000 m2 square has its fair share of flooding issues, just as Tenochtitlan did in its day. Its previous drainage system was not sufficient to meet its needs therefore after a hydraulic study and some technical advice provided by ourselves at ULMA, we were able to recommend drainage lines, channel models and gratings that would provide an efficient and aesthetically pleasing solution for the site.
Radomira Putnika square is the epicentre of social and cultural activity in the city. It is full of music, dancing, restaurants and activities for all ages, which is why its drainage system, and its appearance, are so important.
If you'd like to find out more about our range of drainage channels, write to us here.
Multi V+ drainage channel with slot drainage
For the drainage solution, 500 ml of Multi V+ channels with slot drainage were chosen and installed. This combined hydraulic efficiency, provided by the V-shaped drainage channels from our Multi V+ range, with the aesthetically pleasing finish of our slot drainage solution.
The V shape of these channels allows the water to drain faster, enabling sediment to be shifted more efficiently, to achieve a self-cleaning effect.
The slot drainage is an effective way of maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the location where it is installed. It is discreet and integrates seamlessly into the paving. This makes it ideal for applications where we don’t want the drainage to be visible. It is also known as hidden drainage.
The drainage channels from ULMA have transformed this square, not only in terms of drainage, but also in terms of aesthetics and safety.
