Recently completed by Peter Elliott Architecture + Urban Design, the water recycling plant at Melbourne Zoo solves PTW and Arup’s new inflatable WaterCube pool structure in Beijing is inspired by frothy water and informed by the structure of bubbles. Of similar facetted and useful geometry is the much-exhibited JellyFish House concept by US firm Iwamotoscott. Multitasking structure – in particular walls – is becoming a theme in conceptual architecture and the JellyFish House demonstrates a hard working, “mutable, layered skin” structure which has poetic as well as functional effect.
The Iwamotoscott approach to site and house is one of cleansing and filtration: the site of contaminated landfill is purged with a series of proposed wetlands, while the geometrically structured skin of the house is used to direct and contain rainwater, and also to purify it using UV light. Like its namesake, the JellyFish House co-exists with its environment, using its layered and baffled, water-filled skin to mediate external and internal environments. The use of titanium dioxide coatings on the faceted water collectors to filter the unwanted UV rays means that the house skin glows blue as it filters.
The Clovelly House by Kennedy Associates is less phosphorous in flagging its filtration process, but no less visual. A verdant vertical wall of planted water channels filters greywater for reuse within the small suburban site.
Water purification and vegetation combine in a completely different way in the Seawater Greenhouses growing lush greenhouse plants in seaside and desert locations worldwide. Using seawater to cool and humidify the air for venting, and harnessing sunlight to distill the salt water to fresh, the Seawater Greenhouse design reinvents desalination as a sustainable process.
In collaboration with architects Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners, the Seawater Greenhouse concept has been expanded into a theatre building which uses solar energy to distill seawater from its Canary Island site to irrigate the adjacent gardens.
Melbourne Zoo Water Recycling
Recently completed by Peter Elliott Architecture + Urban Design, the water recycling plant at Melbourne Zoo solves a long-term waste water discharge problem. The entire stormwater drainage system at the zoo, including animal wash down areas, converges at one discharge point at the northern end of the site where a newly constructed weir diverts dry-weather run-off and first-flush wet weather flows to the water recycling plant. The water is then stored in two underground concrete holding tanks – one 750kl raw-water tank and one 145kl treated water tank. The harvested water is recycled to class 3A1 quality by reverse osmosis and then re-used in the zoo’s ponds, animal hose-down areas and landscape irrigation. The treatment plant is the end point of an interactive water discovery exhibit woven through the Zoo.
Water Wheels
Water wheels were the first recorded use of water for generating power. Giant fish shaped tails won’t be the last, but they are an exciting development for renewable, ethical power generation. With over half the world’s renewable energy derived from water, water-based energy options are surfacing in all areas of industry. Just a few fish in the sea: bio-morphic wave and tidal power solutions, zero carbon desalination, harnessing the r value of H2O for thermal comfort, and the big one, hydrogen power for cars, houses and industry, emitting nothing but pure water.
Pininfarina’s Sintesi
Shown in geneva this year Pininfarina’s Sintesi concept features “Liquid Packaging” where the traditionally heavy, unwieldy hydrogen fuel cells are split up with four motors and positioned low around each wheels for better interior packaging and general weight distribution. other cars such as hondas FCx Clarity are hydrogen-ready to roll but with nowhere near the Sintesi’s charisma.
Aquaduct
Tootling along under pedal power, the rider of the aquaduct is transporting, filtering and then storing water for potable use courtesy of a pleasantly fluid design, a carbon filter and a pump attached to the pedal. The clean tank on the handlebar is removable.