WATER HARVESTING AND ARCHITECTURE : AN APPROACH TOWARDS WATER SUSTAINABILITY

Abstract

Water is the most common yet important resource on Earth which vital to all life forms. It is very essential, a need for our daily domestic living, supporting a well-being habitat and even promoting the world’s commercial and industrial economic growth.

Singapore is an urbanized city-state which implemented the “Four Taps Strategy’ for its water management. Rainwater collection is one of the strategies in tapping its precious water resource. Singapore has designated 17 rainwater catchment areas while incorporating with NEWater desalination and reclamation technologies that aim to diversify its water management. Besides collecting rainwater through the national level such as designating urban rivers as reservoirs and constructing stormwater collection ponds in the public residential estates, individual levels can also participate in optimizing water harvesting and reducing the demand of potable water. Given a high average annual rainfall about 2500mm, Singapore can move a step beyond to capitalize this natural resource and develops its uniqueness of Water Harvesting Architecture.

This dissertation will be examining Water Harvesting and its potential in shaping Architecture. Through the study of overseas and local projects, it can be seen that its role is not merely in minimizing water usage but also creating opportunities for potential sustainable water harvesting designs and technologies in the future.