WATER-SCAPES IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN THINKING – A DISCUSSION ON WATER AS CONCEPTUAL CULTURAL SUSTAINABLE DESIGN ELEMENT

Introduction and methodology.
Starting from building an image towards the water trail important in the city territory, and defining the so-called waterfront, continuing with promenades and leisure areas, these are several introducing motivations to architectural design for a lot of architects in their projects – from the conceptual demarche and the lecture of the site to the scenography of the future building seen as an image but also a place for the visitors or locals. General expectations regarding the water environment come from different reasons, and the reading of information of water presence could be transformed in diverse references into the architecture design approach and project. Usually the water presence is undeniable in the city life, in past, present or future – it rewrites the whole scenario of life, including building and city typology and patterns but also architectures – and this refers to natural water presence (in the city territory).
When it comes to artificial water – usually lakes (of small sizes) as well as not very deep surfaces for kids entertaining, also fountains – the elements are introduced by architectural design to complete an image of architecture and of urban space. By design water gives on opportunity to see the whole picture, framing somehow a part of the image. Depending its typology, water presence can enhance the light, the colors, the activities of the city; and also water invades architecture with elements that complete its embodied built concepts. Santiago Calatrava at Valencia Science Park [1], Paul Andreu at Great National Theatre China Beijing [2], Snohetta at Oslo Opera House [3] and many other architects used water as conceptual design element to complete architectural visibility, the image of corporeal form, and the sustainable cultural connectivity with the space in an adequate sense of place. […]