2. “Water has been critical to the making of human history. It has
shaped institutions, destroyed cities, set limits to expansion, brought
feast and famine, carried goods to market, borne disease, washed
away sickness, divided nations, inspired the worship and beseeching
of gods, given philosophers a metaphor for existence, and disposed of
garbage. To write history without putting any water in it is to leave
out a large part of the story.”
- Donald Worster
5. introduction
“To waste, to destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as
to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity
which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed.”
Theodore Roosevelt understood the
value and importance of the protection
and conservation of natural resources,
not only for our own future, but more
importantly for the generations yet to be
born. As landscape architects, we are
designers for these future generations
and it is our responsibility to design in
a way that sustains the existence of
our natural resources by protecting,
conserving, and innovating to increase its
usefulness.
- Theodore Roosevelt
The final design serves as a model for water conservation in arid climates and also a model that Sana’a can
mimic in future development as the city continues to expand.
This project demonstrates a way
landscape architects can be involved in
this process and in places all over the
world that need it the most and seeks to
understand how the unique geographical,
historical, and cultural characteristics
of Yemen affect landscape design and
how to incorporate these aspects into the
designing process.
“Conservation means development as much as it does protection. I recognize the right and duty of
this generation to develop and use the natural resources of our land; but I do not recognize the right
to waste them, or to rob, by wasteful use, the generations that come after us.”
waterforyemen4
Imagecourtesy:Marco
DiLauro-http://www.marcodilauro.com/ssp_director/p.php?a=JSIjL1laTD83OSczKjYxJzM6LjclOyY6Nyo4LTciKyAi
PjE%2FOicmKD87&m=1348823819
- Theodore Roosevelt
6. waterforyemen5
The Republic of Yemen (RoY) is a developing country
located in the arid Middle East. While the country faces
many challenging problems such as poverty, a corrupt
government, civil unrest, and food scarcity, none of these
problems are as pressing as the problem of water scarcity.
RoY has absolutely zero surface water with no rivers, lakes,
or streams. The only surface water the country does receive
is that of seasonal rivers called wadis. The only permanent
source of water is found is groundwater. However, with poor
governance and growing populations this valuable resource
is being depleted seven times faster than its replenishing
rate.
The main cause of this depletion in groundwater is due
to the illegal drilling of wells for agricultural irrigation.
Agriculture production accounts for 91 percent of the
groundwater withdrawals, while water withdrawn for
domestic purposes accounts for a humble 7 percent. A huge
portion of the 91 percent withdrawn goes into the production
of the crop known as qat. Qat is a mild narcotic, lesser
than that of nicotine, that is chewed by approximately 85
percent of Yemenis adults. Of the 91 percent of groundwater
withdrawn, about 40-60 percent goes into the cultivation of
qat. Qat provides an income for local Yemenis and locals
are switching traditional crops over to the production of qat
which will only intensify the issue.
Sana’a city is the capital of RoY and is predicted to be the
first city to run out of water by 2025. What is even more
pressing is the rate of which the population of Sana’a is
growing. Sana’a city’s current estimated population is 2.419
million people with a growing rate of 2.72 percent per year.
In the next 15-16 years Sana’a’s population is expected to
double in size. The country is already facing water problems
and population growth can only compound those problems to
be even graver.
w
a
t
e
r
c
o
n
s
e
v
a
t
i
o
n
rainwater harvesting
drinking water
g r o u n d w a t e r
project significance
imagecourtesy:http://i.cdn.tu
rner.com/cnn/2011/WORLD/meast/06/13/yemen.shortages/t1larg.yemen.wate
r.cans.jpg
imagecourtesy:Xinhua/Mo
hammedMohammedhttp://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/20
11/5c5b5e11-a69b-474f-83a9-7a1a97518856.jpg
imagecourtesy:ADRA-http:/
/www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/nodeimage/Yemeni-girl.jpg
imagecourtesy:SABA-http://
www.sabarelief.org/images/poverty-in-yemen.png
7. Objective 1: maximize rainwater harvesting techniques to secure a
water supply
Objective 2: recycle all greywater to prevent against the waste of water
Objective 3: promote irrigation efficiency for any food production on site
Objective 4: provide access to water on site
Objective 5: to educate the public on the importance of water
conservation
Goal:To provide domestic water security
Goal: To provide domestic food security
Goal: To provide domestic energy security
Objective 1: maximize the area where production of food can occur
Objective 2: to use self-sustaining permaculture techniques
Objective 3: select food crop species that are best suited for the location
and geographical setting
Objective 4: to demonstrate homestead food production for future
development
Objective 5: to educate the public on sustainable food production
Objective 1: maximize opportunities for energy production
Objective 2: use technology that the local can maintain
Objective 3: to educate the public on energy resources
Water scarcity is an overwhelming crisis Yemen is facing and it is
important to establish a water supply that is accessible to the people
at a local level versus a broader level. This goal focuses on ways to
establish a water security at the homestead scale.
Food security is another critical issue in Yemen. A lack of adequate
water supply and arable land are both reasons to the issue. This goal
focuses on ways to establish a food security at the homestead scale.
While energy is not as pressing compared to water or food security,
it is still important to promote sustainable energy development in
Yemen. This goal focuses on ways to establish an energy security at
the homestead scale.
Homestead Design
goals & objectives
waterforyemen6
theearthcan
conce
alnothing;itsucksoutitsinnermostsecretsandbringsthem
toourverylips.”-JeanGiraudoux
8. Objective 1: protect and conserve all water onsite
Objective 2: provide opportunities for groundwater recharge
Objective 3: educate the community on the importance of water through
design
Objective 4: provide access for all site users
Objective 5: celebrate water
Objective 6: engage the community to participate
Goal:To conserve water
Goal: To provide urban agriculture
Goal: To create a sense of community
Objective 1: use unconventional methods to produce food within
condense, urban areas
Objective 2: use self-sustaining techniques
Objective 3: create community hubs throughout garden locations
Objective 4: provide access to food production zones
Objective 5: engage the community to participate
Objective 1: creation of open spaces and central gathering areas
Objective 2: celebrate the unique culture
Objective 3: create interactive zones
With water being of major concern for Yemen’s future water, the
community design will be centered on this issue. This goal focuses on
the conservation of all water on site.
Agricultural practices in Yemen are a major factor in the groundwater
depletion. To protect the existing water resources agriculture
practices will need to be addressed and designed for. This goal
focuses on developing sustainable urban agricultural practices for
arid climate of Yemen.
Water and food vulnerability along with political and social issues,
are causing uprising in Yemen. The design should focus on uniting
the Yemeni community. This goal focuses on creating a unified
community.
waterforyemen7
“Thousandshavelivedwithoutlove,notonewithoutwater.”-W.H.Auden“Wateristheonesu
bstancefromwhich
Community Design
9. The site is situated in the uppermost
northwest corner of the Old City. The site
is surrounded by busy streets, including
Ali Abdul Moghni Street to the west, Bab
Shuab Street to the north, and Sailah Road
to the east. Sailah Road not only serves
as a highway, but during the rainy season
waterforyemen8
vicinity & context
yemen
saudi
arabia
oman
egypt
uae
iraq
iran
jordan
syria
sudan
ethiopia
turkey
becomes a wadi that
water flows through.
Surrounding the site
is a military school,
an elementary school,
a bank with green
courtyard area, Sam
City Hotel, and a bus
station.
This information is useful
in identifying potential site
users. The site is just a short
walk from the bus station
allowing for visitors filter in
through side streets. The
adjacent schools provide
a great opportunity for
educational opportunities for
the students, especially the
elementary school. Shops
surrounding the site could
also be expanded onto the
site for economic venues.
Yemen is broken down into 21 governorates that then
are broken down into districts, sub-districts, villages and
neighborhoods. Sana’a City is separated into its own
individual governorate that is more a municipality.
Sana’a City has 11 districts total and the site rests within
the Old Sana’a district. This district is identified by its
ancient history dating back to at least 2,500 years ago and
by its historical architecture and urban layout. The site is
characterized with extreme housing density that was formed
for the city being within fortified walls.
10. 0’ 125’ 250’ 500’
the site
bus station
school
hotel
military school
bank &courtyard
seasonal wadi & roadway
roadway
waterforyemen9
11. imagecourtesy:UN
Photo/EvanSchneider-http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/briefingpa
pers/refugees/images/refugees_21977.jpg
groundwaterresources
imagecourtesy:M
ochaMill-http://dailycoffeenew
s.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IM
G_2322-600x450.jpg
rain-fedterrac
es of the highl
ands
imagecourtesy:Isla
ndSpice-https://www.flickr.co
m
/photos/islandspice/3712323676
/
qat-amildna
rcotic
water
inventory & analysis
food
iimagecourtesy:Karim
BenKhelifa-http://briefwit.files.wordpress.com
/20
10/01/a-yemeni-searching-for-water-near-the-mosque-president-sa
leh-is-building-in-sana-karim-ben-khelifa.jpg?w=604&h=397
waterscarcity
in sana’a
RoY has a total of 2.1 cu km (about .5 of a cu mile) of renewable water
resources. The main sources of water for Sana’a are rainwater and
groundwater. Sana’a receives 100mm-350mm (about 4 - 14inches) of
rainfall per year making Sana’a a semi-arid region. For comparison, Indiana
receives about 40.94 inches of rain annually and Nevada (the driest state)
receives 9.5 inches. Groundwater is a renewable water resource and is
being exploited for agricultural production (mainly qat). Only 7% withdrawn
is for domestic use, 2% for industrial use, and the remaining 91% goes for
agricultural purposes. Ground water aquifers decline 1-7 meters annually
and recharge is rare. Groundwater is vital for Yemen’s agriculture.
This information is significant in explaining a reason to water scarcity and
a possible solution to lessening the crisis. The majority of the water used
in RoY goes to agricultural production versus domestic use. This water is
either harvested or extracted and used in agricultural fields. Yemen needs
to adopt agriculture practices that will conserve water. This can be done by
reinitiating some traditional techniques and by new sustainable technologies.
If new practices were to be established, more water could be allocated for
domestic use.
Agriculture is a major source of income for the country, especially in the
cultivation of qat. The Yemen’s agricultural sector produces grain, fruits,
vegetables, pulses, qat, coffee, cotton, dairy products, livestock (sheep,
goats, cattle, and camels), poultry and fish. Sana’a, located in the central
highlands, relies on rain-fed agriculture and agriculture irrigated by
groundwater resources. As previously noted agriculture accounts for 91%
of water use for RoY and of the water used for agriculture 40-60% goes for
the production of qat. Qat is an evergreen shrub and its leaves are chewed
like tobacco as a stimulant. About 85% of Yemeni adults use qat daily.
Production and consumption of qat holds a high position in the economy and
culture. It demands much irrigation for its cultivation.
The rain-fed systems are mostly terraced systems that allow for soil
development and for rainwater to be recycled from terrace to terrace. In the
Old City, where the site is located, there are gardens known as maqaashim
and bustans. These gardens provide a good model for reference to urban
agriculture design. Looking at Yemen’s past and current agricultural
practices provide direction on strategies that work in arid climates, as well
as strategies that work in urban arid climates. Some of these practices will
continue prove as good strategies for Yemen; however there is always room
to add new and advance technologies that will conserve water. Current
crops species could also prove to do well in urban agriculture.
waterforyemen10
12. yemeni culture
yemeni architecture
energy
imagecourtesy:http
://www.biyokulule.com/sawiro/sa
wirada_waaweyn/Yemen-tribesm
en.jpg
bara’dagger
dance
theancientci
ty architecture
imagecourtesy
:LeandroBadalotti-ht
tp://www.badalotti.com/?pag
e_id=1204
traditionofpo
etry and music
imagecourtesy:
U
NESCO-http://heritage.unesco.
or.kr/wp-content/uploads/ich_img/hd10
_064_i3-1024x661.jpg
poweroutage
s
imagecourtesy:Moha
m
m
edHuwais/AFP/GettyImages
-http://abcnews.go.com/International/photos/crisis-yemen-intensi
fies-30364627/image-30366136ich_img/hd10_064_i3-1024x661.jpg
Approximately 40% of Yemen’s population has access to electricity. Even those
who do have access to the grid still experience blackouts frequently. The country
began working on renewable energy pilot projects like solar and geothermal in
2003 and 2006. With over half of the population lacking electricity, it is important
to design for this issue. Any small amount of energy would vastly improve the
daily life of a Yemeni person. It is best to incorporate technologies that could
function on their own instead of users being tapped into the grid. This would
prevent against frequent blackouts associated with attacks on Yemen’s energy
grid and allow normal people to have a reliable supply of energy.Yemen is mostly
sunny and considering sustainable energy technologies, solar production would
be most fitting for this design location. Solar radiation for Sana’a City ranges from
5,500-6,500 MJ/m2/year.
Poetry is the most popular form of literature in Yemen and can be either spoken
or sung. This can be performed at social events or competitions. One traditional
form includes dan which is a musical-poetical improvisation. Singers will chant a
tune without words and poets create fresh lines of poetry. Dancing is common
as well. The Bara’ dagger dance is a common dance among Yemeni men. Rich
is decorative arts are also practiced, which is apparent in the architecture, but
Yemenis are also skilled in decorative jewelry, embroidery, and textiles.
In Sana’a there is a special musical tradition called al-Ghina al-San’ani or The
Song of Sana’a and is practiced throughout Yemen. This song is comes from
various poetic traditions dating from the fourteenth century. This genre is essential
to social gatherings including samra marriage evenings and the magyal, which is
an afternoon gathering of friends and colleagues.
With such rich cultural diversity, the design should reflect the heritage of the
Yemeni’s people. The design should incorporate social gathering areas that can
be used for celebrations, festivals, and events. Decorative arts such as textiles
and embroidery could offer the site a unique character.
The Old City of Sana’a is world renown for it picturesque urban architecture that
blends into the surrounding mountainous landscape. The houses are rammed
together and ornately decorated. All the structures are made out of traditional
materials sourced from the local environment. These materials include: stone,
clayey soil mixed with gypsum, baked brick, wood (rarely, only in mosques or
for support in houses / apricot wood), plaster, earth/straw plasters, and gypsum.
The site design should blend in with the existing architecture. Using the same
traditional materials would allow for the design to become a part of the rest of
the city.
waterforyemen11
13. figureground
The site is extraordinarily dense in population. Housing is
crammed together and are multiple stories high ranging from
4-9 floors. Most of the site is categorized as ‘clustered housing’.
The density is in response to the historic city once being fortified
and need to fit as many houses into a small site. The site is a
UNESCO World Heritage site and will require preservation and
conservation of existing architectural structures. Unfortunately,
some housing is far beyond repairing and will have to be
demolished. The sites density is so vast that there are not very
many open spaces. Water storage should be located underground
to maximize available open spaces for agricultural purposes.
Circulation through the site is less conventional then here in
America. There are some major streets that border the site
and another that intersects the site. The intersecting street is
unnecessary considering the other street’s proximity to it. This
street could be closed off and used for other purposes such
as water celebration or for economic generation. Other paths
through the site are very small averaging between 7-15 feet in
width. This unique system of paths provides an opportunity to
create a pedestrian corridor.
The site is approximately 14.25 acres and most of that acreage
is filled with dense housing. There are not very many open areas
on the site. In the center, there is a large area approximately
2.50 acres. This probably was once a bustan garden but is now
abandoned. This space would be ideal for a community center.
The second largest area is adjacent to the large open space
and it is approximately 0.45 acres in size. This area has a single
home located in the center, which is odd for the density of the
site. This would be ideal for a homestead demonstration. There
are much smaller spaces sporadically located throughout the
site. These areas could become ‘lungs’ of the site with water
conservation techniques as well as urban agriculture techniques.
The site currently drains to the northwest corner of the site.
Average slope percentages range between 2-5% throughout
the site. This information will be significant when planning water
features and placement should be strategic to use gravity.
There are some significant features and places on the site. On
site there are two mosques, small informal businesses, and a
bridge that connects over Sailah Road and into the other parts of
Old Sana’a. These features should be considered in the design.
circulation
open spaces
drainage
places
waterforyemen12
14. waterforyemen13
0’ 50’ 100’ 200’
solar production
water conservation
urban agriculture
connector
homestead
green lungs
informal economy
green streets
green pedestrian
corridor
0’ 50’ 100’ 200’
solar production
water conservation
flower garden
urban agriculture
dryland orchard
connector
homestead
blue lungs
informal economy
blue streets
blue pedestrian
corridor
0’ 50’ 100’ 200’
solar production
water conservation
urban agriculture
community center
urban agriculture
connector
blue lungs
green lungs
informal economy
blue streets
market corridor
blue pedestrian
corridor
concept #1
water centered
concept #2
food centered
concept #3
mixed strategies
This concept’s main theme is all about water.
Streets would become groundwater rechargers
and underground cistern storages for water.
The community center would implement water
conservation strategies like aquaponic systems
or an infiltration basin. Urban agriculture would
include flower harvesting, dryland orchards, and
permaculture rows. Solar production would be
situated next to water conservation and most ideal
position for maximum solar production.
This concept’s main theme was all about food.
Food is a major reason to the water crisis in
Yemen with over 91% of withdrawn water going to
agricultural purposes. Designing for food then is a
way to conserve water. Streets would become food
producing corridors. The community center then
would have urban agriculture and water harvesting.
This concept really is a combination of ideas from
the first two concepts. Streets would become
groundwater rechargers and underground cistern
storage for water. The community center would
implement water conservation strategies like
aquaponic systems as well as urban agriculture
including dryland orchards and permaculture rows.
In the heart of the community center there would be
an area allocated for celebration of water and social
gatherings.
15. Of all the concepts, the third one is the best and was the
reference for the design of the master plan. Elements in
the design include an informal corridor, allocated vehicular
traffic, water harvesting and groundwater recharging
pedestrian corridors. These corridors connect to the site’s
‘lungs’ where water conservation and urban agriculture
techniques will be used. The major design elements are the
community design and the homestead design.
The intersecting street is closed to vehicular traffic and is
an informal economy corridor. Here Yemeni’s can set up
vendor booths to sell handmade goods, to provide services,
and to sell food. The street will also include permeable
paving and bottomless cisterns for groundwater recharge.
The outer streets remain allocated for vehicular traffic and
parking. Site users then can use ‘blue’ pedestrian corridors
where water will be harvest and stored underground
wherever possible. Elsewhere groundwater recharging will
take place.
Smaller open areas can still be utilized as ‘lungs’ or
breathing areas from the building. These areas implement
water conservation technologies and living wall systems.
These areas are the main focus of the design. The yellow
is the community design and the green is the homestead
design. The purple serves as a connector between the two
sites.
inventory & analysis
waterforyemen14
schematic plan
roadways &
paths
the ‘lungs’
community &
homestead
16. waterforyemen15
informal economy corridor
The informal economy is the diversified
set of economic activities, enterprises,
jobs, and workers that are not regulated
or protected by the state (wiego.com).
Informal economies play a significant role in
developing countries and help to alleviate
poverty and reduce inequality. Yemen is
one of the poorest of developing countries
and creating opportunities for informal
economy to occur can greatly help the
people who suffer from poverty. This design
includes an informal economy corridor
where the intersecting street is closed to
vehicular traffic and is intended for informal
economic activities of all of kinds. Here
Yemeni’s can set up vendor booths to sell
handmade goods, to provide services, to
sell food, etc. The street will also include
permeable paving and bottomless cisterns
for groundwater recharge.
roadways, paths, & lungs
The outer streets surrounding the site remain allocated for
vehicular traffic and parking. Inner streets will be closed to
vehicles and turned into ‘blue’ pedestrian corridors. These
corridors range from 7-15ft in width and allow for foot
and bicycle traffic. The ‘blue’ corridors will feature water
harvesting and underground storage wherever allowable.
Where harvesting and storage is not allowable, groundwater
recharge will take place. The corridors will connect to major
elements such as the community and homestead design
but also connect to ‘lungs’ of the site. The ‘lungs’ act as
breathing areas within the extremely dense housing of the
site. These areas will implement water conservation and
urban agriculture techniques such as water harvesting,
living walls, aquaponic greenhouses, etc. Creating the ‘blue’
corridors and the ‘lungs’ will not only conserve water but
will also create awareness and educate the public on the
importance of water.
18. waterforyemen17
community center design
• In the center of the site there is a 2124 ft2 plaza
used for cultural events such as weddings, poetry
readings, music festivals, and a place for the
community to gather. This central plaza celebrates
water by allowing the community to engage in
playing with the water. A splash pad that recycles
water will operate during the hottest parts of the
day. The plaza also has vistas of the entire site
including the aquaponic greenhouses, terrace
agriculture, row agriculture, and dryland orchards.
• The aquaponic greenhouse systems are crucial
in water conservation as they use less water to
produce food than conventional agriculture and
reduce evaporation. This site has 3 aquaponic
greenhouses, each capable of producing 350-500
lbs. of tilapia annually, 500 -720 lbs. of Red Claw
Crayfish annually, 189 - 297 lettuce/kale harvested
weekly (5 week grow cycle), and up to108 micro
lettuce/micro kale weekly. This yield does not
include tuber and vining crops.
• A dryland orchard is a permaculture technique
used for arid climates like Yemen. These orchards
will produce dates, figs, olives, and wheat.
• The terraced agriculture is an ancient agriculture
practice of Yemen that has worked for centuries.
This form of agriculture uses landform to capture
and store water for agriculture production.
• Row agriculture is a permaculture technique
that uses landform to create mounds and ditches to
capture water and grow food.
design features
The community design is concentrated on being a
community centered on water conservation. This
design includes a community plaza, aquaponic
systems, dryland orchards, terraced agriculture, row
agriculture, and outdoor educational areas.
- Dryland Orchards
- Aquaponic systems
ECSIA Family Farmer Module
19. homestead
aquaponic
greenhouse
trellis vegetable
garden
trellis pedestrian
corridor
trellis pedestrian
corridor
trellis pedestrian
corridor
dryland orchard
chickens &
cisterns
Zone 1
Zone 2
fodder & windbreak
qat production
waterforyemen18
homestead
homestead design
The homestead design incorporates the permaculture technique of zone planning. This design can demonstrate
agriculture and water conservation techniques for more rural areas and can serve to educate the community. Zone
planning focuses on placing elements based off of their use or need of service. Zones range from 1-5, 1 being
closest to house and 5 the furthest. This design includes zones 1-2 because of the site size. Zone 1 is the most
controlled area and includes trellis structures, water harvesting and storage cisterns, chickens, and an aquaponic
greenhouse. Zone 2 includes qat production, fodder (animal feed) producing windbreak, dryland orchard, and a
trellis vegetable garden to protect vegetables from the hot arid sun. The entire area is surrounded by a pedestrian
corridor that allows for public observation and education.
0’ 10’ 20’ 40’
20. waterforyemen19
This project did not look into funding, political or social issues with implementation.
These are delimitations for this project but are very real constraints to water
conservation and sustainable development in Yemen. Yemen particularly needs to
develop water conserving agricultural practices to lessen groundwater depletion.
If innovation and development were made in this sector it could greatly increase
available water for domestic purposes. Another alternative to agriculture could be
virtual water. Virtual water is the concept of importing food from other countries whose
water resources are greater. This allows the country to allocate water that was used
from agricultural practices for other purposes. Water preservation and conservation
must also be included in future development. Sana’a does receive rainfall in the
monsoon season that would be harvested and stored. This would receive a greater
harvesting and storage infrastructure.
In conclusion, Yemen’s problem reminds us how precious water is to our human
existence. Sana’a may be the first city predicted to run out water in the world, but
water scarcity is an issue that every country will have to deal with. Water conservation,
preservation and sustainable development are steps that we could take to address
these issues. Yemen’s problem is far from being settled but this project demonstrated
sustainable technologies and strategies that the country can enact and further develop
as the population doubles in the next 15 years.
“To waste, to destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land
instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining
in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to
hand down to them amplified and developed.”
conclusion
- Theodore Roosevelt
