With/Out Water: Rethink the nexus of architecture and water

Abstract

This option studio will explore the material, tectonic and urban dimensions of architecture With/Out Water. Far more than an aesthetic element of design water permeates our daily lives and our built environment. Water is indispensable for agriculture and food production. Water is a major construction material for instance as hydrator in concrete. Water dominates our social rituals and is key to domestic hygiene. Water is at the same time energy source and energy storage. Designing with water can mitigate climate change. Every society has developed cultural and economic regimes to manage the resource water which translated to adapted construction techniques, building typologies and urban configurations. The option studio aims to rethink the nexus of architecture and water in light of depleting resources and sustainable design.