Agua - Acqua - Water

Narcissus reflected in the river and when he reproduced his image on it, his end was inevitable. Water reflects and transmutes. In architecture it is a resource or trick that allows to exalt the beauty (if there’s any) of a building.

We can refer to the use of water as matter turned into material in two ways:

    - Wild stuff, uncontrollable.
    - Landscape mirror, mysterious and passive.

“I want you to live in the waterfall, not just look at it”, said Frank Lloyd Wright. The decision this quote refers to was risky and ingenious. The architect shows us a new way of inhabiting the space through his vision, invites us to feel, to experience the space in the way that he needs it to be understood. Organic architecture is the most noble and sensitive gesture that an architect can have to understand nature. You can probably guess that I am referring to "The Fallingwater" 1937, Pennsylvania , U.S., built for the Kaufmann family.

It is impossible to speak of water in architecture and not refer to Carlo Scarpa, the Venetian architect. The use of water and its absence define the forms of his architecture. It establishes internal dialogues between the limits of matter that cut the existence of water. By using aquifer landscapes, he adds vibrations, presences and sparkles through his mandatory language.

"The Brion Cemetery", San Vito d'Altivole 1970-1972 Italy was built mainly of concrete and with a large presence of water volumes. It creates different planes, generating depths and unevenness. It allows us to experience space in a different way. It reproduces these sets of volumes in the depths of the water. It generates spaces that inspire recollection, reflection and invite meditation. Serene places that incite the analysis of how fleeting life is. Art as well as life is a very short curved line.

I want to refer to one of his works in which water is an essential material and to the material to understand his creation: “The Palace of the Assembly” 1951-1965, Chandigarh, India.  Its access is through a walkway that divides a large rectangle containing the precious liquid. The architect with this separating resource, forces the viewer to contemplate the enclosure from a certain distance. It evokes those majestic medieval castles surrounded by moats where you could only access by a bridge. In Chandigarh, he gives great prominence to the architectural duplicity that is created in the reflection of the water. That eagerness to defy gravity’s force virtually, that desire to levitate buildings, in architecture can be achieved thanks to water. Play with the transmutation of water under construction and create a wonderful ensemble.

Placing a sheet of water in a render is truly gratifying, providing the image with beauty and balance. On my website there is an example of a small lake that reflects a weeping willow tree, framing the space with a garden facade and roof. I invite you to take a look at it.
Metamorphosis of Narcissus
The Fallingwater
Le Corbusier

"The Brion Cemetery", 1970-1972 Italy. Carlo Scarpa

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