Water Flora

Water Flora is a proposal for a contemporary drinking water fountain that pays homage to traditional materials and techniques of making reservoirs and cooling water. The design draws inspiration from nature and from the desert. The form is inspired by the Desert Hyacinth or the “Al Thanoon” as referred to in Arabic, a plant native to the Gulf Peninsula known to the natives for its medicinal benefits. The concept offers a playful twist on the traditional use of clay for cooling purposes. One can find references to this in various parts of the world. The natural properties of clay and its historic association with the notion of drinking or storing water was a primary driving motive in the development of the design concept.

Hybrid Utilization

The design is comprised of a shell that envelopes a conventional water cooler. The shell not only provides a shelter to the water cooler but also defines the water faucets. The faucets are made of terra cotta trays arranged at multiple heights funneling the water to the users. Whether located within the Expo site or outside, Water Flora provides a basic shell that can be adapted for multiple uses and conditions. With themes revolving around the use of water, terra cotta, wind, and sun, this shell provides opportunities for use beyond the basic function of a water fountain. Other uses may include the utilization of the shell as a Wind Screen that funnels cool air from the surrounding breeze through evaporative cooling. Mist nozzles can be added to the top of the flower and can be activated incrementally. The shell can also be retrofitted with an internal fan or wind blower further boosting its capacity as an outdoor cooling tower. The pots can host an array of elements such as lighting fixtures, solar pebbles, and hydroponic pods.

Colors of the Earth – Colors of Humanity

Clay – offers a multitude of earth tones reflecting the various soil colors. Changing baking temperatures would also result in variation of tones. The use of clay has multiple materialistic but also symbolic connotations. The sustainable properties of clay as a natural easily recyclable material promotes one of the primary themes of the EXPO. The variations of color are meant to pay tribute to the notion of colors of humanity – bringing people from different continents and different races together.

Team: Nihal Halimeh, Mariam Salama, Samrakshana Suresh

Client: Sabeel 2020 – Collaboration between Expo 2020 and Art Jameel

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