More than a manhole cover

PHILADELPHIA Lauren Hoover, a student at Temple University's Tyler School of Art, on Friday won the Philadelphia Water Department's "Medallion and Manhole Cover Competition" for a new design that celebrates the city's creeks and rivers.

Hoover's design has two elements: a cityscape made of pipes, and a tree-root system that spells out water.

The medallions will be placed next to infrastructure, such as rain gardens, and the covers will be atop manholes. Hoover's design will adorn the medallions and will influence future manhole covers, said Tiffany Ledesma, a Water Department spokeswoman. The medallions could be installed this year, she said.

The competition was also sponsored by the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, the innovation studio NextFab, and Fleisher Art Memorial.

- Inquirer staff