Arup UK with WaterAid have been running the “drawing water challenge” competition to find innovative solutions to help people access clean water. These ideas tend to be more targeted for developing nations, but as we face water restrictions it’s increasingly relevant in our cities that we think of water in new ways. The winning design “WatAir” was inspired by spiderwebs and the dew-catching properties of leaves and uses lightweight panels to funnel moisture to one collective source. The panels are flexible, movable and also provide shade and some shelter.
WatAir is a nice example of biomimicry. Biomimicry is based on the idea that there are lessons and inspirations in plants, animals and nature that can help us design better and more efficient solutions. It can result in both low-tech solutions or highly sophisticated designs – but it seems that any idea taken from nature has this great certain logic, integrity and grace. Last year I heard Janine Beynus speak about it and she mentioned how all university design courses like engineering and architecture should study biology as a compulsory unit - I think that’s a great idea.
I saw Janine speak as well - she was quite inspiring. It’s such a simple thought to follow - nature’s organic problem-solving mechanisms and how we can apply them on a larger scale to humans. It’s a winner.
WatAir looks like a very interesting idea. Do they propose to build ‘farms’ of these things?
Obviously just concept stage - but their site suggests that WatAir could be easiliy adapted to urban environemnts (rooftops) and so an entire city could be a ‘farm’ of these things. They go as far to say these structures can be “sponsored” with ads, artwork etc.
Now there’s an interesting concept of appealing to the commercial interests of a council or government (ads) while achieving a great environmental outcome with water harvesting. I’m 2/3rds through Biomimicry- the science can be heavy going but it’s very revealing and sensible and I hope the movement continues to grow…