This building is designed to accommodate residents, commercial activity, and clean the Mapocho River. Is this what the Jordan River needs?
Despite valiant efforts by Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) and other worthy organizations, the Jordan River is in a perilous state. This 156 mile long river is ecologically essential to Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, and Syria.
In addition to diversion projects that interrupt flow to the shrinking Dead Sea, the river is heavily contaminated. Students at the Universidad de Chile have designed a skyscraper that doubles as a river cleaner. Could this be a potential solution for the dying Jordan River too?
With the Mapocho River in mind, which runs through Santiago, Chile and is desperately polluted, the students designed a building that has both a vertical and horizontal element to it.
The vertical section consists of stacks of lipped polygonal blocks that resemble cells. Their shape and constitution maximize sunlight and ventilation. They have also been built to overlook the river, and thereby improve its aesthetic value for residents on the upper section of the building, and for commercial operators on the lower rung.
The horizontal element mimics lagoons and are equipped with wetland plants that perform phytoremediation. As the water flows over the “lagoon” and to the other side of the skyscraper, it becomes purified. To celebrate this, the students also recommended building a city park adjacent to the river.
With the dual problem of population increase in a tiny country, one that can fit into the state of Florida eight times, and the polluted Jordan River, might such a structure inspire viable solutions for Israel, Jordan, and Syria?
Stranger things have happened.
:: story and images via evolo
More green building innovations from the Middle East:
Geotectura’s Residential Building Set to Sail
Geotectura’s Visual Feast Out of the Box
Studied Impact’s Power Plant Fit For Living
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
