Architect Carolyn Moss created a rain barrel that fuses form and function. Photo: Laura Arsie

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conservation, innovation, invention, rain barrel, rainwater, water

Eco Innovation

Architect Carolyn Moss was on the hunt for a rain barrel to use at her own home and in her clients' backyards, but all the models she found were flawed: their spigots were too close to the ground, making access to collected water awkward; their flow rates were poor; and their water capacity tended to max out at just under 200 litres. That, and they "were all really ugly," Moss reports. "It made me crazy."

So Moss, who is based in Toronto, decided to design a rain barrel herself. In collaboration with friends and clients Lee Fletcher and Terence Woodside of Figforty, an industrial design studio, she developed a version that combines environmental practicality with good looks.

Called the Cista, its tiny footprint—a mere 70 by 35.5 centimetres at the base—makes it ideal for tiny urban gardens and tight corners. It's also tall, about 2.5 metres, to take advantage of gravity and create superior pressure and flow rate compared to other models. Despite its stature, the Cista is easier to transport than traditional hard-shelled rain barrels: the metal sleeve separates into five pieces that nest inside each other, while the inner "tank" folds up. Everything goes into a box small enough to fit in the back of Moss's Mini Cooper.

Rain barrel designed by Carolyn Moss. Photo: Daniel Harrison, courtesy MOSS SUND Architects

The Cista's thermoplastic olefin tank can hold more than 375 litres, twice the typical amount, and is raised 61 centimetres from the ground, making the spigot easy to access. "The higher you can get the water," says Moss, "the more pressure you can have to run a hose." Hidden beneath the tank is a spot for a potted climbing plant, intended to grow up around the floral laser-cut steel that contains the tank. This creates a vertical planted frame and increases the green space in an urban environment.

Moss's creation couldn't come at a better time. Cities across the country have begun offering rainwater collection programs, and for good reason. A heavy rainfall can cause sewers to overflow and put a strain on the system. Rain also sends contaminants, such as motor oil and dog feces, into lakes and rivers.

More and more homeowners are catching on to the benefits of rainwater harvesting. They can collect the water and use it to irrigate their gardens. This reduces how much water they'll need—and pay for—from their municipality. The amount of rainwater may surprise people; for example, during a five-millimetre rainfall, a 42-square-metre roof sheds 210 litres of water.

Moss is further developing the Cista and hopes to bring it to market soon (contact her for custom orders). Once she's able to make her eco-innovation more widely available, she would like to work on additional models, from an expandable modular version for use in commercial spaces to one with a more simply patterned casing for warmer climates, to allow climbing plants to cover the rain collector year-round.

Right now, though, making a special order means that Moss can completely customize the Cista to match your home—as long as it's green and it looks good.