Closing the Loop: Restoring the Hydrologic Cycle Through Architecture

Abstract

As water scarcity has become one of the most important environmental and social issues of the 21st century, the way cities and the built environment interact with water must be reconsidered. A worldwide reliance on groundwater has stressed the fossil resource to its limits of use. As a result, there is an urgent search occurring for a new source of water supply yet there has been little research done exploring the potentials of stormwater reuse. Architecture can play a vital role in creating a more efficient and sustainable urban water system, while increasing the public awareness of issues related to the water cycle. Physical and technical constraints of stormwater infrastructure, such as gravity and topography, limit the siting of a stormwater reuse facility to existing dense urban areas in order to avoid pumping across vast distances. Havana, Cuba provides an excellent test city to explore water related projects due to its isolated closed loop system of supply and use. This thesis will explore the idea of using architectural works as hubs in the hydrological cycle, allowing people to access rain water harvested from traditional stormwater infrastructure, creating a more socially equitable system of water conveyance.