WARKA WATER 3.4

You don’t have to be an expert to understand that water is going to be one of the most crucial issues of the future. Be it because of climate change, the desertification process of many regions, or simply a greater demand for water due to demographic growth, we will have to address the problem of its shortage. Warka Water is a project that tries to capture water where conventional ways—melted snow, rain, or phreatic aquifers—are not available. The project captures the moisture in the air, condensing it when it comes into contact with the linear surfaces of the tower and conducts it to a reservoir beneath to keep the water fresh. What makes this project go beyond the technical dimension of water collection is that it explores its capacity to work as a social space and a source of identity for a village. The size needed to capture a relevant amount of humidity means that the monumentality of the construction also works as a reference point; its form is a powerful, memorable element of the place. This is no different from a telecom tower, which is both a technical device and a postcard symbol for a city. In this case, the water tower is simultaneously a piece of infrastructure and an iconic element, a kind of useful totem. But in addition to this, Warka Water is thought of as a driver for social enhancement. On the one hand it uses hi-tech science to capture water efficiently; on the other hand it is a low-tech device that can be built using local materials and labor, able to trigger a sense of belonging to the place and the community.