Water level rise in Berlin
For a long time Berlin has dealt with rising groundwater levels, caused primarily by the more efficient use of water in contemporary Berlin. The streets in the city are often characterised by the colourful groundwater relief pipes which rise from building sites and parks, and travel above the heads of pedestrians until the water is eventually released into the Spree. While some large scale projects, such as the development of Potsdamer Platz have addressed the issue, there remains a possibility to create a repeatable intervention that could address the issue on a smaller scale within the existing built condition.
Summer site plan showing low water level
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Winter site plan showing high water level
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Natural filtration systems
An important performance required in this landscape is the natural filtration of water. Groundwater and stormwater sources service my blue landscape, and oftentimes these water sources can contain contaminants from building work, corroded pipes and, in extreme situations, acid rain. For the water to be as beneficial to human well-being and mental health, the water must be as clean as possible. Introducing natural ecosystems to the waterscape, similar to those in lakes and rivers, allows for the natural filtration of the water, eliminating any requirement for aggravating chemicals such as chlorine. My proposal contains three systems of water filtration to maintain a high quality of water. The first of these systems filter water coming from off-site, through stormwater and groundwater pipes, this first system acts as a front line filtration, taking as many contaminants out of the water before introduction to the main bodies of water. The second system is the integrated regeneration pools, which form part of the main bodies of water, these regeneration pools circulate the water in the occupiable pools to maintain the quality of water. The third and final water filtration system are the down water pipe filtration pools which attach to the external facade of the circulation spaces in the existing blocks, the purpose of these vertically stacked filtration pools is to both filter the water collected on the roofs of the blocks, and bring an element of the blue space into contact with the shared circulation spaces in the blocks. These stacked pools are intended to bring the sense of community into the existing blocks, and by extending the half-flights of the stairs out, a pocket of social space is created, a small area of social infrastructure within the existing condition.