THE ROLE OF WATER IN ARCHITECTURE

2. INTRODUCTION
• Throughout history water and water structures have always been
influential in human life. Although having undergone some
transformation, water still remains an integral part of our lives. Adding
appeal to architecture, water has been used in all periods for functional,
aesthetic and psychological purposes. According to Zulfikar and
Yoshikawa
• Lorem throughout history human settlements have been shaped by
water to a great extent. Besides being a source of sustenance, humans
have needed water for several other needs including transportation and
recreation. It is a known fact that past civilizations have built their cities
and villages near rivers, streams, lakes or other water sources
throughout the historical process. Even in modern cities, water remains
an important factor in the design of open spaces and for the quality of
human life.
• This study will first briefly mention the place of water in the mythology
and cosmology of different cultures before looking at the development
of water structures in Anatolian culture during the Ancient and
Byzantine periods with a special focus on fountains (in streets and
squares).

3. DISTRIBUTION OF WATER ON EARTH

4. Abstract
• It is a known fact that past civilizations have built their cities and villages
near rivers, streams, lakes or other water sources throughout the
historical process. Even in modern cities, water remains an important
factor in the design of open spaces and for the quality of human life.
• Water is not merely a functional addition to architecture and design, it is
an integral part of architecture in both religious and secular systems –
shaping the aesthetics of landscapes and breathing life into structures.
Water has notably been greatly used in Islamic architecture across the
middle east, as far as India to the east and Spain.
• Water is one of the most attractive and entrancing design elements in the
design and organization of urban open spaces. Sometimes water is used as
an element of aesthetics, sometimes to cool the air, supress noise, irrigate
or for recreation. Over time, humans have developed several water
structures like canals, fountains and ponds in an attempt to benefit from
the aesthetic, psychological and vital qualities of water.

5. UTILITY FUNCTIONS OF WATER
• CANALS AND FOUNTAINS HAVE BEEN BUILT TO MEET POTABLE WATER
CONSUMPTION.
• WATER BODIES HEAT AND COOL LATER THAN LAND MASSES AND THIS
QUALITY HAS BEEN USED TO REGULATE OUTDOOR AIR AND SURFACE
TEMPERATURE-ACCLIMATIZATION.
• THE NOISE OF FALLING OR FLOWING WATER PROVIDES NOISE
CONTROL TO BUFFER NOISE IN URBAN AREAS INCLUDING TRAFFIC,
INDUSTRY AND OTHER HUMAN ACTIVITY.
• IN THE FORM OF LAKES, SEAS, RIVERS AND ETC. WATER PROVIDE
RECREATIONAL ASSETS INCLUDING PLEASANT SCENERY, SWIMMING,
FISHING, ROWING, DIVING, SAILING AND OTHER WATER SPORTS. Either
STILL OR FLOWING, WATER CAN BE USED FOR ALL THESE PURPOSES.

6. FUNCTIONS OF WATER
FOUNTAINS CANALS
NOISE OF FALLING WATER

7. WATER STRUCTURES

8. • Rain is liquid water in the form of droplets.
Once the water droplets increase they
cannot remain suspended in the air as
they become heavy.
• Evaporation to condensation to
precipitation to percolation.
WATER CYCLE

9. WATER CYCLE

11. Precipitation
• Precipitation is any product of the
condensation of atmospheric water
vapor that falls under gravity.
• The main forms of precipitation include
drizzle, rain, sleet, snow and hail

12. Precipitation

13. THEORIES AND MODES
OF
MEASUREMENT
• In terms of hydrology rainfall constitutes the third
phase of atmospheric division of the hydrologic
cycle, “the change of state”. The term
precipitation is also used for rainfall.
• Rainfall is collected and measured in a rain gauge,
also known as Symons's Gauge in India.

15. Architectural Solutions
HEAVY RAINFALL
• Generally, houses in such areas are built on elevated
foundations. Raising the foundations in flooding climatic
areas is ideal as it also catches cooling breezes under the
house.
• Another technique for constructing houses in areas of
heavy rainfall is using steeply sloping roofs. The steeply
sloping roof will allow the rainwater to run off and avoid
it collecting on the roof, adding unwanted weight to the
roof, and harming the natural setting of the
concrete/RCC.
• Example : houses in Kerala

16. Architectural Solutions
LOW RAINFALL
• Many flat roofs are simply built of masonry or concrete
and this is good at keeping out the heat of the sun and
cheap and easy to build where timber is not readily
available and there is less rainfall due to a warmer climate
• The size of the windows on the eats and west side are
comparatively smaller in order to reduce heat gains into
the house in the early morning and late afternoon.
• Sleep out spaces.
• Example : Rajasthan

17. • Snow is water in the form of ice crystals
below zero degree Celsius. Snowflakes are
lots of ice crystals that fall from a cloud
while snow pellets are lots of ice crystals
that stay as water and do not freeze at all.
Sleet is part ice crystal and part rain.
• The quantity of snow falling within a given
area in a given time is known as snowfall.
Snowfall

19. THEORIES AND MODE
OF
MEASUREMENT
• A snow board is just a two foot by two foot piece of
plywood. The snow board should be painted white
in order to minimize the heat from the sun that
could melt the snow. The board should be placed
on the ground, then staked so that you can find it
easily after snowfall
• A yard stick or rain gauge can also be used for
snowfall measurements.

21. Architectural Solutions
HEAVY SNOWFALL
• For heavy snowfall, buildings were built with roofs
that have thermal properties and can handle the load
of snow when it falls on it.
• Roofs must also be designed to avoid ice dams, which
result from melt water running under the snow on
the roof and freezing at the eave.
• Ice dams mostly occur because of damaged building
materials.
• In such houses even chimney’s are provided for
firewood and heat supply.

22. • These houses should have access to solar radiation,
protection from cooling breezes and cold winds.
• The houses have their orientation facing the south
east and south west side to allow maximum
sunlight.
• The walls, slab edges, floors all are insulated and air
spaces are sealed.
Architectural Solutions
HEAVY SNOWFALL

23. FOG AND HUMIDITY
• Fog consists of visible cloud water droplets or ice
crystals suspended in the air at or near the earth's
surface. Fog can be considered a type of low-
lying cloud and is heavily influenced AA
• Humidity is the amount of waater vapor present in
the air. Water vapor is the gaseous state of water
and is invisible. Humidity indicates the likelihood
of precipitation, dew, or fog.

24. THEORIES AND MODE
OF
MEASUREMENT
• For measuring fog we have device
called the fog monitor which is a
cloud-particle spectrometer
designed for use during ground
based or tower based studies. This
is a robust and a weather resistant
instrument.

26. Architectural Solutions
Fog and humidity
• Houses with cross ventilation, thinner plans to
encourage movement of breezes through and
within the building without auxiliary heating.
• Houses should have roofs and walls of lighter
colors to reflect the heat of sun.
• Elevated lightweight floors.
• Roof spaces are used for ventilation in summer
and sealed off in winters.