The Water Purification Zone

Abstract

The worldwide crisis in environmental resources, such as deteriorating water resource is intensifying. In Manhattan island, a metropolitan area, the risk is also extremely remarkable. According to the United Nations sustainable development goals, at the current time, more than 2 billion people across the world are living under the crisis of insufficient freshwater resources, due to poor economics or inadequate infrastructures. Likewise, In recent years, the increasing water pollution, mainly due to climate change, aging infrastructures and the regional expansion, have had a significant negative impact on Manhattanites’ habitat and health, which are embodied in the growth pollution level of natural waterways, such as East River and Hudson River. Based on the context, the main objective of this thesis is to research the system of local water systems and the resource crises. Several main questions raised during the study process: What are the causes of the regional resource crisis? What’s the ideological expression of the water infrastructures to Manhattanites? How to ease the climate- induced crisis, or even to end up the emergency by architectural interventions? Within these questions in mind, the main research question is formed: How can the architecture, concerning climatic crisis, cultural loss, evoke a more livable and healthier community for NE Midtown’s future development?