PROJECT

There are flood and drought problems in the Garden Cities of Amsterdam, which will get worse if nothing changes. On top of that, there is a problem with the quality of the open water. Therefore, an approach is needed to cope with these water problems. Besides this, 8000 new dwellings may need to be realised in Amsterdam Nieuw-West and many old dwellings need to be renovated. I propose to combine these topics and investigate the possibilities of creating more housing in the area while also resolving the water issues.

Accordingly, the aim of the project is to investigate the possibilities for improving the housing blocks in the Wildeman neighbourhood, and make them function in symbiose with water. Designing the dwellings and neighbourhood with a dynamic relation to water should lead to a habitat which is resilient for flood and drought,
maintaining good water quality and using the opportunities open/rain/ground/fresh/etc. -water provides.


RESEARCH PAPER

To find out what role architecture could play in future sustainable and climate proof water city (considering the Closed City concept) the following topics are investigated: (1) the urban water system in general, and the Closed City concept in specific, (2) architecture as water machine (WMA) in general, and WMA that can be applied to a Closed City in specific and (3) the post war neighbourhood and its water system in general, and with the Closed City concept applied in specific. The inquiry involves the spatial implications of technical systems applied, researched through literature study, case study and drawing as epistemic. The data is then tested against the characteristics and requirements of the Closed City concept. It is concluded that WMA could play a role in five out of six characteristics of the Closed City when the concept is applied to a post war neighbourhood. Twelve possible forms are identified, fulfilling the role of rainwater collection, water treatment, heating system, reducing water use and water storage.