AQUA CENTRE

Research into the ability of built

spaces to convey strong messages

ARCHITECTURAL THESIS
SYNOPSIS

SREYA SREENIVASAN, SEM X,

REG.NO.090001181023
PRAHAR SCHOOL OF
ARCHITECTURE, COIMBATORE.
INTRODUCTION:

Do buildings speak? If yes, what do they tell us?

When we look at a historic monument or an ancient palace, they tell us the

stories of a bygone era. They may give us lessons on intangibilities like courage,
triumph, terror, love, fear, etc. We can feel what our ancestors felt when we walk
through these spaces. Certain modern creations too have achieved this. For
instance, consider the Holocaust Museum by the architect Daniel Libeskind. His
museum lets us to put ourselves in the shoes of the Jewish victims who were
executed by Hitler.

Thus we perceive that spaces have the power to speak boldly to all. Although
for the trained eyes every built space speaks about something, we find today that
most spaces remain mute.

Yet, although it has become evident that spaces can be eloquent in

conveying messages, why aren’t more built spaces conveying anything of value?

Why can’t we create spaces that help to deliver messages of pressing needs?
Better yet, why can’t we create spaces that tell everyone what we need to do in
order to save our future?

MOTIVATION:

“If there is magic on the planet, it is contained in water.”

Water is one of the most important substances on earth. All plants and
animals must have water to survive. If there was no water there would be no life on
earth. More than 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by water.

Yet, unfortunately, one of the biggest of crises in the world currently is the
scarcity/shortage of potable water. Man’s increasing interference with nature has
led to this imposing predicament. Global warming has added on to this. Most of the
big cities in India also face this major adversity. Hence, there arises a desperate
need to conserve this essential life sustaining commodity.

WHY THE NECESSITY OF A MUSEUM FOR WATER?

Messages are best communicated to more people through public buildings or

spaces. Museums are one of the biggest mass communicating spaces that voice
complex things with clarity. Hence, as a major step in campaigning for the
conservation of potable water, what better way is there than creating a museum for
it?

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AIM:

The aim is to create a built space that conveys a strong message to its viewers and users. The
aim of the museum is not only to make citizens aware of the city's water supply and sewerage
system but also to make them appreciate the beauty, versatility, significance, need and
conservation of water.

OBJECTIVES:

 To understand the importance and qualities of water.

 To study the history and working of water supply and sewerage in the city.
 To experiment with water to define and create spaces.
 To experiment with materials and techniques to create illusions with regard to and/or to
create the properties of water.
 To create sustainable and energy efficient spaces with the use of water

SCOPE:

The thesis explores the possibility of message conveyance through architecture. The project is
comprehensive of all the other amenities to the museum, which includes, information centre,
library, auditorium, exhibition space , research facilities, etc., all designed to the purpose of
educating people about water. More facilities could be added to improve the tourism scope of
the project and according to further studies.

This project however is solely aimed at ‘potable water’ and not aquatic life, marine ecology or
other ocean science, etc. However, wetland conservation could also be explored.

The supply, distribution, etc., of water and sewage forms an essential part of the project as it
would be in the water works premises of BMC.

.METHODOLOGY:

1. DATA COLLEECTION:

- Data on standards for museums, libraries, cafes, auditoriums, etc.

- Data on the importance of water and ways of conserving water

- Data on water conveying systems

- Data on the history of water conveyance and services

- Data on properties of water

- Data on materials that create illusions of water.

- Data and analysis on message conveyance ability of space

- Feasibility study

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2. LITERATURE CASE STUDY:

- Study on illusions, visual effect in buildings

- Study on water works and its history

- Case Study of buildings exhibiting water and qualities of water

- Case study of water museums, libraries, pavilions, etc. around the world

- Case studies of buildings designed for the expression of an incident or a message.

- H2O Pavillion, D-Tower, Museum of Glass, Louvre Museum AbuDhabi.

3. LIVE CASE STUDY:

- Case study of Water Heritage Museum, Kozhikode

- Case study of Water Works Tunnel Museum, Thiruvananthapuram.

- Case study of the Water Works of Brihan Mumbai Corporation in Bhandup,Mumbai

4. ARRVING AT THE REQUIREMENTS AND FRAMING THE BRIEF:

5. CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

6. DESIGN DRAWINGS

7. THESIS CONCLUSION

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PROPOSAL:

Mumbai Civic body plans ‘water museum’

Poorvi Kulkarni , Hindustan Times Mumbai, November 04, 2013
First Published: 08:41 IST(4/11/2013) | Last Updated: 08:58 IST(4/11/2013)

The complex working of valves, chambers, reservoirs and pumping stations that enable you to receive water through
your taps every day will soon become accessible to the general public.

Taking a cue from countries such as Russia and Singapore, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)

has proposed a multi-storey water information centre, akin to a museum, at its water treatment complex in

Bhandup.

Information kiosks, audiovisual presentations, live demonstrations and books and journals are on the

cards to attract visitors to the centre and break down the complex process for visitors, which the BMC hopes will
become a tourist attraction as well.

It has invited expression of interest documents from firms to design the centre, through which the civic

body aims to make citizens aware of the city’s water supply and sewerage system.

“What is unique about Mumbai’s water supply system is that it is not a planned network. It has evolved

over time to meet the growing demand. It is important that this history is chronicled,” said Ramesh

Bhambale, chief hydraulic engineer, BMC.

Around 3,500 million litres of water are supplied to city’s households daily. The city’s first source of water supply, the
Vehar dam, was completed in 1860. In the 153 years since, six more dams have been built that provide water to the
city, with one of them — Middle Vaitarna — completed in 2012.

The idea for the centre formed a year ago, when senior civic officials visited the water visitor centre in

Singapore and was reiterated during interactions with authorities of the Russian Federation at the Fifth

BRICS Friendship Cities conference in the city in January.

“There were many deliberations on the concept and qualification criteria for the firm for the project. We

did not want it to be like just another building,” said Rajiv Jalota, additional municipal commissioner, in

charge of water supply.

The existing water treatment complex in Bhandup is open to the public once a week.

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SITE:

The picture shows the location of the site amidst the Rajiv Gandhi
National Park, adjacent to the Vihar lake.

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THE WATER PURIFICATION PLANT IN Mumbai, surrounded by the Rajiv Gandhi National Park and Vihar Lake.