The project is called "Virtual Water" and is designed by UrbanLab for PS1 in New York City. It collects and cleans 100,000 gallons of rainwater that falls in the courtyard each summer through conical canopies and directs it to six water-based atmospheres that put the water to creative use while raising awareness of water conservation issues and setting an example for future green structures.

1. A PROJECT BY
URBANLAB

2. URBANLAB
ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN FIRM THAT
SPECIALIZES IN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
DESIGN

3. URBANLAB
WEBSITE STATES THAT URBANLAB “STRIVES TO
INVENT INNOVATIVE, ENVIRONMENTALLY
RESPONSIBLE DESIGN SOLUTIONS AND CREATE
SPACES THAT ESTABLISH HEALTHY CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN PEOPLE AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTS.”

4. URBANLAB
BROAD GOALS
THROUGH THEIR PROJECTS AND RESEARCH, URBANLAB
TRIES TO:
-REDUCE RELIANCE ON FOSSIL FUELS
-SUSTAIN WATER RESOURCES
-IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND
THE „WEALTH‟ OF PEOPLE

5. URBANLAB
WINNER OF THE 2009 AIA* LATROBE PRIZE,
AWARDED FOR “RESEARCH LEADING TO
SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES IN THE ARCHITECTURE
PROFFESSION.”
WINNER OF THE HISTORY CHANNEL‟S “CITY OF THE
FUTURE” AWARD FOR THEIR ENTRY IN A
COMPETITION CALLED “GROWING WATER”
*AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS

6. MARTIN FELSEN
-TEACHES DESIGN STUDIOS AND
URBAN/ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING
CLASSES AT THE ILLINOIS INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY
-GRADUATE OF COLUMBIA
UNIVERSITY
-RESEARCH FOCUSED ON PUBLIC
SPACE, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND
RESOURCES
-NAMED AS A “GLOBAL VISIONARY”
SOURCE: AT.MOVINGDESIGN.COM
BY CHICAGO PUBLIC RADIO

7. SARAH DUNN
-PROJECT ARCHITECT/PROJECT
LEADER AT OFFICE OF
METROPOLITAN ARCHITECTURE
-MADE MASTER PLAN FOR
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HQ
-TEACHES DESIGN STUDIOS IN THE
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.
-DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AT
ARCHEWORKS, A NONPROFIT
SOURCE: PLACES.DESIGNOBSERVER.COM
DESGIN ORGANIZATION

8. THE
PROJECT

9. THE PROJECT IS CALLED
VIRTUAL WATER

10. “VIRTUAL WATER”
REFERS TO THE WATER HIDDEN IN
EVERYDAY PRODUCTS
AND TO THE WATER FOOTPRINT OF
URBAN SPACES SUCH AS THE PS1

11. 100,000 GALLONS OF
WATER FALL ON THE PS1
COURTYARD EVERY
SUMMER. VIRTUAL WATER
COLLECTS, CLEANS,
CONSERVES, AND USES IN
CREATIVE WAYS THIS
WATER THAT WOULD
OTHERWISE BE WASTED.

12. RAINWATER IS COLLECTED IN
CONICAL CANOPIES AND DIRECTED TO
6 WATER-BASED ATMOSHPERES.

13. REFLECTING
POOL (LOUNGE) WATERFALL (FISH POND)
DRIP (RAIN PUDDLE)
MIST (SPRINKLER) SPLASH POOL
STREAM (LIVING MACHINE)

14. STREAM (LIVING MACHINE)
CLEANS COLLECTED RAINWATER WITH PLANTS; DEMONSTRATES HOW
NATURE USES MINIMAL ENERGY TO CLEAN WATER

15. WATERFALL (FISH POND)
FISH SUPPLY NUTRIENTS TO THE PLANTS IN THE LIVING MACHINE AND
DEMONSTRATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FISH AND WETLANDS AND
CLEAN WATER

16. SPLASH POOL
VISITORS CAN PLAY IN THE SHALLOW WATER, WHICH IS FILTERED BY PLANTS
AND BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES

17. CREATES A PEACEFUL DRIPPING SOUND DURING AND AFTER A
RAINSTORM
COOLS VISITORS IN THE SUMMER
SHADED GATHERING SPACE AND WATER STORAGE FOUNTAIN

18. -GREEN STRUCTURE UTILIZES
WATER THAT WOULD OTHERWISE
BE WASTED
-WATER IS PUT TO USE IN A
STRUCTURE THAT BENEFITS
VISITORS
-RAISES AWARENESS OF WATER
CONSERVATION ISSUES
-SETS AN EXAMPLE FOR FUTURE
GREEN STRUCTURES

19. MOMAPS1.ORG
MORE PROJECT CONTRIBUTORS
KATHERINE EBERLY
JEFF MACIAS
ANDREW AKINS
LULU ALZAID
SIMON CYGIELSKI
LORENE FORD
ADRIANNE JOERGENSEN
TRAVIS KALINA
JASON MOULD
EVGENIYA PLOTNIKOVA
NOEL TURGEON