Understanding how stormwater, soils, plants, and microclimates shape resilience for buildings and visitors.

The Nelson-Atkins landscape is a defining public asset — and also a functional system that influences drainage, foundation protection, microclimate cooling, and outdoor comfort. Opportunities include better stormwater performance (reducing ponding and moisture risks near buildings), heat-island reduction through canopy and shading strategies, and ecological enhancements that align with long-term climate conditions. The landscape is closely linked to building durability: when site systems underperform, impacts often show up as moisture issues, settlement, envelope deterioration, or increased HVAC demand.

Sections:

Introduction 

Purpose & Scope

The landscape systems for the Linda Hall Library (LHL) and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (NAMA) play a crucial role in climate readiness, environmental resilience, and long-term preservation of both buildings and grounds. This Landscape Lens establishes a repeatable framework for evaluating landscape performance across institutional campuses, focusing on hydrology, carbon sequestration, thermal comfort, stormwater performance, material cycles, and biodiversity. 

Because the NEH grant required all work to remain pre-decisional, this section does not propose final designs. Instead, it defines the yardstick by which landscape systems can be evaluated and improved over time. 

Importance of the Landscape System 

Landscape systems influence nearly every dimension of institutional resilience: 

  • Hydrology & stormwater management – protection of foundations, drainage paths, soil stability 
  • Microclimate modification – cooling, shading, wind mitigation, humidity buffering 
  • Carbon sequestration & ecological function 
  • Visitor experience & public engagement 
  • Long-term preservation of historic structures 

At both campuses, landscape systems are interdependent with the building envelope, mechanical systems, and utilities. Landscape failures often manifest as basement moisture, foundation settlement, increased HVAC loads, or envelope deterioration, making this lens essential to institutional climate strategy. 

Contextual Background 

Both LHL and NAMA sit within mature urban landscapes with expansive lawns, tree canopies, paved paths, and formal gardens. Historic design intent, operational constraints, aging irrigation systems, and Kansas City’s evolving climate have created a set of shared risks: 

  • More intense rainfall and more frequent drought 
  • Increased freeze–thaw cycles 
  • Urban heat island intensification 
  • Soil desiccation and rehydration cycles causing foundation movement 
  • Loss of carbon-sequestering tree canopy from age, disease, or storm events 

This Landscape Lens aims to equip institutions with a method to evaluate landscape health and identify improvements that support both building preservation and climate resilience. 

Assessment Framework for Landscape Systems 

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – Plain Language 

KPI Category Plain-Language Description 
1. Stormwater & Hydrologic Performance How well the site drains, absorbs, slows, filters, and stores water; ability to protect foundations and prevent erosion. 
2. Soil Health & Root Zone Stability Quality and structure of soils; ability to support trees and prevent settlement. 
3. Vegetation Health & Carbon Sequestration Tree canopy health, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and long-term ecological function. 
4. Microclimate & Thermal Comfort Shade, wind control, humidity buffering, UHI mitigation, and impact on building HVAC loads. 
5. Hardscape & Circulation Systems Durability, permeability, heat absorption, and ADA functionality. 
6. Irrigation & Water Use Efficiency Effectiveness, leaks, seasonal operations, drought resilience. 
7. Material Lifespan, Risk, & Replacements Durability of landscape elements, expected service life, and maintenance burden. 

Technical KPI Matrix – For Design, Construction, and Operations Professionals 

Technical KPI Category What Is Evaluated 
1. Hydrology & Drainage • Infiltration capacity and percolation rates 
• Surface vs. subsurface drainage paths 
• Foundation-adjacent grading and moisture risk zones 
• Stormwater volumes for 2-yr, 10-yr, and 100-yr events 
• Soil saturation patterns and erosion indicators 
• Reliance on sump pumps or mechanical dewatering 
2. Soil & Root Zone Health • Soil compaction, organic content, and structure 
• Moisture variability across seasons 
• Depth and stability of root zones 
• Soil settlement or voids near foundations 
• Nutrient profiles and topsoil depth 
• Impact of irrigation overspray or drought cycles 
3. Vegetation Health & Carbon Function • Species diversity and age distribution 
• Tree canopy coverage (GIS-based) 
• Plant stress indicators (leaf scorch, dieback, pest activity) 
• Annual and lifetime carbon sequestration values 
• Vulnerability to storms, drought, disease, and heat 
• Reserve planting capacity for canopy succession 
4. Microclimate & Thermal Behavior • Temperature differentials of pavements, lawns, and shaded zones 
• Wind exposure or buffering patterns 
• Seasonal shading diagrams near building envelopes 
• Humidity buffering from vegetation 
• Local heat island intensity 
• Impacts on perimeter HVAC loads 
5. Hardscape & Circulation Systems • Pavement reflectance and heat absorption 
• Permeability and stormwater infiltration 
• Trip hazards, ADA compliance, and settlement 
• Freeze–thaw damage patterns 
• Stormwater shedding patterns
• Longevity and maintenance requirements 
6. Irrigation & Water Efficiency • Leak detection and pressure irregularities 
• Irrigation zoning and alignment with plant needs 
• Overspray and runoff onto pavements or buildings 
• Water consumption compared to baseline plant demand 
• Seasonal programming effectiveness 
• Integration with soil moisture sensors 
7. Asset Condition & Lifespan • Expected service life of trees, pavements, retaining walls, site furniture 
• Material deterioration (rot, rust, cracking) 
• Vulnerability to cli mate-intensified exposure 
• Documented maintenance cycles and staffing requirements 
• Cost implications of deferred landscape maintenance 

Current Landscape Performance (Summary)

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Nelson Building + Bloch Building) 

  • Large expanses of turf surrounding the Nelson → minimal carbon value, high maintenance burden. 
  • Mature trees at perimeter provide shading but aging canopy presents replacement risk. 
  • Bloch’s green roofs offer benefits but limited sequestration (succulent-based). 
  • South lawns experience ponding after storm events. 
  • Hardscapes and sculpture lawns experience urban heat island amplification. 
  • Limited infiltration capacity → faster runoff contributing to foundation moisture. 

Diagnostic Landscape Findings  

While envelope diagnostics used thermography, landscape diagnostics rely on: 

  • Soil moisture mapping 
  • Ground-penetrating radar near settlement zones 
  • Hydrologic modeling 
  • Tree canopy GIS analysis 
  • Infiltration and percolation testing 
  • Drone-based grading & drainage mapping 

Common Findings Across Both Campuses 

  1. Drainage failures and foundation adjacency risks 
  2. Long-term soil compaction reducing infiltration 
  3. Aging trees requiring phased replacement 
  4. Excess turf areas providing minimal ecological function 
  5. Hardscape areas contributing to UHI 
  6. Lack of bioswales, rain gardens, or decentralized stormwater control 
  7. Irrigation inefficiencies causing mixed wet/dry cycles 

Climate Risk & Environmental Footprint (Landscape Edition) 

Landscape Climate Adaptation Matrix 

Climate Factor Risks Applicable Building / Landscape Areas Effective Mitigations 
Increased Heavy Rainfall Foundation movement, erosion, ponding, root rot LHL north façade, Nelson south lawn, perimeter grades Bioswales, French drains, grade correction, soil rebuilding 
More Severe Droughts Tree loss, soil shrinkage, foundation settlement All campuses Smart irrigation, drought-tolerant understories, deep-rooted plantings 
Heat Waves / UHI Increased HVAC loads, visitor discomfort Bloch entry plazas, Nelson lawns Shade expansion, canopy succession planting, reflective pavements 
Freeze–Thaw Cycles Pavement heave, root damage All pavements Permeable pavements, improved subbase, reduced irrigation overspray 
Storm Intensity Windthrow of trees, erosion, damage to sculptures Exposed slopes, major canopy zones Wind-firm species, root ball anchoring, soil stabilization 

Carbon & Energy Impact Analysis (Landscape Version) 

Carbon Sources & Sinks 

  • Tree canopy = major long-term carbon sink (LHL especially) 
  • Lawns = carbon neutral to carbon negative due to mowing, fertilizer, irrigation 
  • Pavements = embodied carbon + thermal storage contributing to operational emissions 
  • Green roofs (Bloch) = modest carbon sink, strong microclimate benefit 

Operational Energy Cross-Impacts 

Landscape choices influence: 

  • Perimeter cooling loads 
  • Envelope drying potential 
  • Moisture loads at foundations 
  • HVAC runtime due to shading or heat exposure 

Embodied Carbon in Landscape Interventions 

  • Hardscape replacements 
  • Soil importation 
  • Tree planting (low impact, high benefit) 
  • Green infrastructure (moderate impact, long-term carbon advantage) 

Facility Improvement Measures (FIMs) — Landscape 

A. Hydrology & Moisture Control 

  • French drains at critical perimeters 
  • Bioswales at downspout discharge points 
  • Conversion of compacted lawn zones into meadow systems 
  • Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) to reduce runoff 

B. Soil Health & Stability 

  • Soil decompaction & compost amendment 
  • Structural soils near pavements 
  • Root zone aeration and biochar incorporation 
  • Targeted foundation moisture stabilization 

C. Vegetation & Carbon 

  • Successor canopy planting plan (20–30 year horizon) 
  • Carbon-modeling tree inventory and replacement sequence 
  • Native understory expansion 
  • Reduction of turf areas → pollinator gardens, meadow zones 

D. Microclimate Mitigation 

  • Strategic shade tree placement near envelope heat gain zones 
  • High-albedo pavements 
  • Permeable pavements in visitor paths 
  • Additional green roof zones where structural capacity allows 

E. Irrigation Efficiency 

  • Smart irrigation controllers 
  • Zoned irrigation matching plant water needs 
  • Soil moisture sensors and shutoff systems 
  • Removal of irrigation from tree drip lines to prevent rot 

F. Hardscape & Circulation 

  • Replace failing pavements with permeable systems 
  • Regrade ADA paths affected by settlement 
  • Reflective and low-heat-gain paving materials