Water and Wonder

The passage surrounding the ‘potential for wonder’ in Charles Moore’s text Water and Architecture, which examines the fusing of water and architecture, holds particular pertinence with this project. Here Moore reveals two ideas. He comments on the increasing demand for the immediacy of water to our daily lives and alludes to a coded language at the disposal of the architect, almost an instruction manual. Themes that emerge relate to the history and symbolism of water and the evocation of the senses, which will be discussed in subsequent posts.

The position regarding the immediacy of water raises an interesting point. As many is the case with developed societies, they have grown accustomed to the availability and ease of access to clean water, through its means of delivery. This severs the interaction between people and the natural occurrence of the water cycle. Moore argues that the introduction of “modern treatment plants have replaced the natural water cycle through the mechanized hydrologic cycle of collection, filtration and sedimentation.” (Moore 1994:198) It is hard not to agree with Moore on this subject, in turn should more be done to heighten the public’s awareness of their detachment from the natural cycle? - An important question to consider.

The observation of modern society’s dissociation of the natural process combined with the history of water and the connection with symbolism is relevant for this project. Moore understands that the use of water within design “…fortifies connections to place, people, water and nature…” and it is through these connections people are able to make sense of the increasing complexity of the world (Moore 1994:199). Water possesses a duality according to Moore, as it is both symbol and natural material:

“…Its use in architecture should reflect the attitude of the about the natural world held by the people who design, construct, or inhabit the building… At the end of the millennium we are faced with the dilemma of balancing human needs with respect for nature. If water is being used neither much nor well in our own architecture, then surely some of the difficulty can be traced to our confusion over what sort of attitude toward nature we are trying to express. Yet if we can effectively incorporate water’s symbolism, history, and physical nature, then our water and our architecture can have a potential for wonder unmatched by any other material that we can include in our environments.” (Moore 1994:199)

There is something quite stirring about this video. It is a 3D visualization, but nonetheless it captures exactly what Moore is discussing. The sheer volume of the space hark back to another quote from Moore:

“All of this effort is expended for the simple reason that we need water to live… More than anything, designs involving water and architecture must remind people of this dual impact that water has on our lives.” (Moore 1994:198)

These words hold particular resonance with the space shown in this video - for this is the underground storm-water system in Saitama. This is a $3 Billion USD system which protects Saitama during typhoon season by diverting floodwaters away underground in these huge vaulted tunnels. All this effort does in fact reminds people of the dual impact of water.  

References

Moore, C. 1994, Water and Architecture, Harry N. Abrams Inc., New York

Tokyo Stormwater 3D Visualisation video can be found here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6m0tAnRjLk, accessed 27.08.2013

Image Reference, http://www.archdaily.com/3591/giant-storm-sewer-system-sitama-japan/, accessed 27.08.2013