Influential architect Vincent Callebaut has picked up on the fact that
more than one billion people do not currently have any access to
drinking water, and has come up with a new innovative concept to bring
clean water to the world.
A shocking fact is that 3,000 people die everyday from having consumed polluted water, and many non-governmental organisations, as well as, the Programme of the United Nations for the Development (PNUD) fight for the idea that water should be a 'common good'. With this aim in mind, they and other organisations are looking at the way water is managed and thought of worldwide, at the moment in comparison to other ecological concerns minimal resources and investment are put into the provision of clean, fresh drinking water.
At present, despite the above fact, there is actually enough soft water on the surface of the planet to cater for the world's population even if as anticipated it rises to the 9.2 billion in 2050 as predicted by the UN, however it is the quality of the water that is not suitable and also the distribution of the water across the planet. With all of these concerns in mind architect Vincent Callebaut has developed a new concept called 'Physalia', an architectural prototype that purifies the surrounding water.
'Physalia' Concept designed by Vincent Callebaut
Aiming to provide a solution to the management of this valuable resource, 'Physalia' (from the Greek word that means 'water bubble') is a half-aquatic and half-earthly amphibious vessel, a floating agora which has the potential to deal with the ecology and need to save water on a large global scale. It also has the ability to support our own waterways within developed countries ensuring we manage our own resources effectively too.
The 'Physalia' has a series of innovations that allow this ambitious project to be ecologically sound on so many levels. Examples of this are:
Water Consumption: The main reason for the project is of course look at saving water, and this is done in a vast number of ways. The concept will help to refill ground waters, assist with rainwater recycling, as well as, the recycling of domestic and industrial waters, it could also purify any pollution coming from agriculture, and even desalination of sea water, or the management of humid areas, the city-agriculture competition and the valorisation of all the induced waste.
'Physalia' Concept by Vincent Callebaut
Research Laboratory: Surprisingly, it also provides a nomadic, hydrodynamic laboratory that is dedicated to implementing an international network of scientific partnerships, plus offering new environmental resources by undertaking onboard studies on an unprecedented level.
Eco-tourism: It is also hoped that using the waterways themselves will also inspire us to consider our resources more, and even act as an eco-tourism attraction where we can experience and interact with these oasis and therefore it becomes an amphibious garden, making a social statement too.
'Physalia' Concept by Vincent Callebaut - Interior View
Ecosystem: It forms an ecosystem reacting to its environment, a fragment of living earth, inviting the fauna and the flora of the fluvial biodiversity to live upon it. Each of the various vessels (or gardens) are based around the four natural elements - Air, Earth, Water and Fire, which each have an individual, but symbiotic role to play in this grand concept.
Architecture: Its architecture is designed to have a zero carbon emission with renewable energies meaning it produces more energy than it consumes. Its roof contains a double pneumatic membrane chiselled with smooth photovoltaic solar cells, and under its hull the hydro-turbines transform the energy of the fluvial stream into hydro-electricity. Its surface is made of aluminium, covering the multi-hull steel structure and is covered by a TiO2 layer of anatase shape, that by reacting to the ultraviolet rays enables it to reduce the water pollution, plus the planted roof also supports the environment.
This is just one of Vincent Callebaut's architectural visions of the future, others include his Lilypad, a floating city for climate refugees or his anti-smog project. The Trend Boutique loves the ambition of this project and the futuristic feel of the architecture, to us many of its ideas make complete sense as we have to be far more imaginative in our solutions to the environmental and ecological problems facing the world. Water is such a basic resource and need, yet we take it for granted. Vincent Callebaut's work is radical, yet beautiful, and practical in equal measure.
A shocking fact is that 3,000 people die everyday from having consumed polluted water, and many non-governmental organisations, as well as, the Programme of the United Nations for the Development (PNUD) fight for the idea that water should be a 'common good'. With this aim in mind, they and other organisations are looking at the way water is managed and thought of worldwide, at the moment in comparison to other ecological concerns minimal resources and investment are put into the provision of clean, fresh drinking water.
At present, despite the above fact, there is actually enough soft water on the surface of the planet to cater for the world's population even if as anticipated it rises to the 9.2 billion in 2050 as predicted by the UN, however it is the quality of the water that is not suitable and also the distribution of the water across the planet. With all of these concerns in mind architect Vincent Callebaut has developed a new concept called 'Physalia', an architectural prototype that purifies the surrounding water.
'Physalia' Concept designed by Vincent CallebautAiming to provide a solution to the management of this valuable resource, 'Physalia' (from the Greek word that means 'water bubble') is a half-aquatic and half-earthly amphibious vessel, a floating agora which has the potential to deal with the ecology and need to save water on a large global scale. It also has the ability to support our own waterways within developed countries ensuring we manage our own resources effectively too.
The 'Physalia' has a series of innovations that allow this ambitious project to be ecologically sound on so many levels. Examples of this are:
Water Consumption: The main reason for the project is of course look at saving water, and this is done in a vast number of ways. The concept will help to refill ground waters, assist with rainwater recycling, as well as, the recycling of domestic and industrial waters, it could also purify any pollution coming from agriculture, and even desalination of sea water, or the management of humid areas, the city-agriculture competition and the valorisation of all the induced waste.
'Physalia' Concept by Vincent Callebaut
Research Laboratory: Surprisingly, it also provides a nomadic, hydrodynamic laboratory that is dedicated to implementing an international network of scientific partnerships, plus offering new environmental resources by undertaking onboard studies on an unprecedented level.
Eco-tourism: It is also hoped that using the waterways themselves will also inspire us to consider our resources more, and even act as an eco-tourism attraction where we can experience and interact with these oasis and therefore it becomes an amphibious garden, making a social statement too.
'Physalia' Concept by Vincent Callebaut - Interior View
Ecosystem: It forms an ecosystem reacting to its environment, a fragment of living earth, inviting the fauna and the flora of the fluvial biodiversity to live upon it. Each of the various vessels (or gardens) are based around the four natural elements - Air, Earth, Water and Fire, which each have an individual, but symbiotic role to play in this grand concept.
Architecture: Its architecture is designed to have a zero carbon emission with renewable energies meaning it produces more energy than it consumes. Its roof contains a double pneumatic membrane chiselled with smooth photovoltaic solar cells, and under its hull the hydro-turbines transform the energy of the fluvial stream into hydro-electricity. Its surface is made of aluminium, covering the multi-hull steel structure and is covered by a TiO2 layer of anatase shape, that by reacting to the ultraviolet rays enables it to reduce the water pollution, plus the planted roof also supports the environment.
This is just one of Vincent Callebaut's architectural visions of the future, others include his Lilypad, a floating city for climate refugees or his anti-smog project. The Trend Boutique loves the ambition of this project and the futuristic feel of the architecture, to us many of its ideas make complete sense as we have to be far more imaginative in our solutions to the environmental and ecological problems facing the world. Water is such a basic resource and need, yet we take it for granted. Vincent Callebaut's work is radical, yet beautiful, and practical in equal measure.
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