Nourished Island Cecilia Sun& Yuwei Wang
Contents Glossary Synopsis Context A Journey About Water
Collect
[scene 1]
Collect
[scene 1 in the past]
Transport
[scene 2]
Irrigation [scene 3] Transport
[scene 2&3 in the past]
Bathing
[scene 4]
Bathing
[scene 4 in the past]
Water Tank Cistern
[scene 5]
[scene 6]
Reservoir
[scene 5&6 in the past]
A Journey About Water Context
Purification Treatment
[in the past]
[scene 7] [scene 8]
Pilgrimage
Gatehouse Forest Deck
[scene 1]
[scene 2] [scene 3]
Apple Orchard
[scene 4]
Brandy Manufacture Garden [scene 6] Entrance [scene 7] Bibliography
[scene 5]
[in the past]
Glossary
Collecting Roof
A roof that could be used to collect rainwater.
Pergola
A frame that allows plants to grow, with irrigation channels inside that carry water and irrigate plants. Charcoal Wall
A kind of wall with a sandwich of charcoal, which cleans rainwater into drinking water
Barrel Forest
An area of walls made of barrels and shelves, with paths and gardens inside
Deck
A continuous timber bridege that is set up above the stone house.It is also the roof of these houses. Inhabited Wall
An original thick stone wall in this site.
Water Tank
The timber vessel to storage the water
Water Treatment Watchtower
Barrel Wall Forest
Bottling Plant
Deck
Apple Orchard
Brandy Making House
Pilgrim House
Purification Garden
SYNOPSIS
Mont Saint Michel, located in Normandy, France, is the third holiest site in Catholicism after Jerusalem and the Vatican. The bay of Saint-Malo, where it is located, is a tidal flat, and the tides continuously wash up the alluvial deposits, making Mont Saint-Michel an isolated island when the tide is high, and is connected to the mainland through the tidal flat when the tide is low. A Gothic Abbey on the highest point of the island is the most important building on the island. It is a medieval building complex composed of rocks, houses and walls, which embodies the ingenuity of nature and human. The mountain part is made of hard granite, which makes the design on this site limited by terrain and space, but the hard granite also keeps the strength and stability of the Abbey. Although the abbey has been designed by many architects, it still maintains an earthy style, which is integrated with the granite base. The Bay of Saint-Malo is known for its high tides. If you do not leave the island during the day, you will be trapped on the island after the evening. The ebb tide is also very sudden. After the sea recedes, the beaches are full of quicksand with a special color. This sand is more like silt, which is very firm once dry, but turns into a sticky mud when mixed with water. The coastline of the mainland is closer to Mont-Saint-Michel due to the accumulation of sediment. So in 1879, a dam was built to allow vehicles to go to the mountain. Due to the long distance from the mainland and the difficulty of direct use of seawater resources, the acquisition of water resources on the island used to rely heavily on ancient rainwater tanks and natural springs. In the 21st century Mont-Saint-Michel is connected to the mainland for water and electricity. We are very concerned about the acquisition and use of water resources, so water is a key element in our thesis. The Apple Brandy Landscape stands on the southern slopes of Mont-Saint-Michel beneath medieval Abbey walls and amongst ancient terraced gardens. It comprises three programmes connected by water: an apple brandy distillery, a bathhouse refuge for pilgrimage and a rainwater collection system all tethered to a singular route from the Bay to the Abbey.
There are two journeys in our project, one is the streamline of the water cycle, the other is the production of Apple Brandy and the pilgrimage route of the pilgrims. Rainwater remains a key resource in the water cycle. Rainwater is collected on the roof, transported through some tubes, and stored in water tanks. Some part of water is used directly for irrigation of the orchard and the supply of bathing house, some part is purified in the charcoal walls and sent to the public for drinking, distribute through the brandy production process – washing, mashing, fermenting and distilling - cleansing in the treatment tower and redistribution to the Bay. From the entrance Gatehouse Bottling Plant the journey of production and pilgrimage moves past the Water Treatment Watchtower up through the Barrel Wall Forest to the elevated deck with inhabited wall and apple brandy distillery beneath. Apple orchards fill the ancient terraces to the south whilst water purification walls form an enclosed garden to the east meeting the Old School Reservoir and water collection roof before arriving at the Pilgrim Bathhouse and the Abbey beyond.
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Purification Tower Brandy Park Bottling Plant Deck Brandy Making House Purification Garden Apple Orchard
Master Plan of the Apple Brandy Landscape
I
MONT-SAINT-MICHEL
The steep, tumulus-like, granite island of Mons Tumba, better known since the tenth century as Mont Saint-Michel, is situated in northwest France in a marine bay that is bordered to the south by Brittany and to the east by Normandy. The island appears to have been continuously home to a religious community from the early eighth century until the French Revolution.
The hills of Mont-Saint-Michel on this flat expanse unfailingly attracted human settlers, who saw them as refuges and sanctuaries.The combination of fresh water and salt water fills its mudflats and swamps with life, amplifying the natural phenomenon of deposition as local residents use dykes. Thousands of hectares of intertidal zone became fertile land as a result. The famous salt-marsh lamb is raised here. The tides contribute to shaping the landscape and are among the highest in the world, with their fifteen-metre average between the hightide and low-tide marks.
Classified as Unesco World Heritage in 1979, the Mont and its bay constitute a system of complex harmony, given the extent to which the intervention of humans over the millennia has shaped landscapes and ecosystems. All kinds of interests cross paths there and potentially clash: fishermen, hunters of wading birds and anatidae, conservationists, oyster farmers and shellfish breeders, farmers, and of course the tourist economy surrounding an emblematic monument that attracts on average two and a half million visitors from all over the world. While the primitive ecosystem seems irretrievably altered, the bay still abounds with life.
CONTEXT Pilgrim
Since at least the sixth century CE, monastic habitation has existed here. Following Saint Michael's dream revelations, Aubert, bishop of Avranches, erected a sanctuary on the Mont in 708. It imitated the shrine to the archangel at Monte Gargano in Italy, to which Aubert sent for relics for his new church. Charlemagne, the dukes of Normandy and Brittany, and the monarchs of England and France were all patrons of the monastery. As Saint Michael's cult grew in popularity as an intercessor for the souls of the dead, pilgrims began to flock to the Mont. The shrine's popularity peaked in
the twelfth and thirteenth century. In 1518, a secretary who accompanied the Cardinal of Aragon to the Mont wrote that the place inspired great devotion in all the West and that crowds of people came to the sanctuary to pray to the Archangel. In the 1660s, the abbey was receiving as many pilgrims as it had ever received in the past: in one week alone in 1663 it received a company of 600 and another of 400 men. The drop in population began around the middle of the eighteenth century. As
a result, the post-Reformation pilgrimage continued in great numbers for at least 150 years. After the religious battles ended, it is apparent that the monastic community made a concerted effort to attract pilgrims, adapt to their changing spiritual tastes, and participate to the Counter-Reformation "project" of soul salvation. An initial focus on anti-Protestantism evolved into a long-term commitment to new Catholic devotions. Both of these events were linked to a renewed interest in Saint Michael's cult. As a result, "heroic trips" to the Mont have resurfaced.
CONTEXT Entrance
The current entrance used to be the fortification of the impregnable fortress. In the left side of the photo, a door is visible in the outer fortification of the barbican. At the top of a steep stairway, Le Chatelet provided formidable defence in the Middle Ages. The barbicans, outer fortifications that protected the main entrance, had heavy doors that opened on a horizontal axis, probably dating from the late 14th century.
CONTEXT Current Water Structure
Water collected on the roofs went into a cistern that supplied an impressive brass tap.
Collected water is being stored in this building.
CONTEXT Migratory Bird
The bay constitutes an incredibly diverse biotope with its combination of fresh and salt water, representing a holiday resort appreciated by thousands of migrating birds..
Peregrine Falcon
Tern
Razorbill
Northern Gannet
Brant
Great Crested Grebe
CONTEXT Apple Brandy
This land has a long history of growing apples and making liqueur from them. Apple orchards and brewers are mentioned as far back as the 8th century by Charlemagne. The first known record of Norman distillation was made by squire Gilles de Gouberville in 1553, and the guild for cider distillation was created about 50 years later in 1606. The unique drink of Calvados was developed in northwest Normandy, France, in a region bordering the English Channel and abounding in apples. Calvados is a high quality apple brandy named after the department and the local products used to produce it.
The ancient gate
The ancient tower
The ancient gardens
The old school
Ⅱ
A JOURNEY ABOUT WATER
As our thesis is about the use of water, water has always been a big part of our project. In the water circulation system, we try to reflect the sustainability of the project from the several aspects of collection, purification, use and treatment. We want to add this complete system to the Apple Brandy Landscape as a system that can be done individually. Given that rainwater was once the most accessible and important water resource on the island, we still want to use rainwater in our project as a key resource. In our project, rainwater is collected and treated for in-home and landscape use. In this water system, the main architectural elements are rainwater collecting roof, water transporting channels, bathing house, water tanks, charcoal purifying walls, water treatment watchtower. The seawater resources on the island are difficult to use directly, so the circulation of fresh water is particularly important. The circulation system is mainly composed of three subsystems: water supply system, water consuming system and drainage system. In our proposal, the water supply system is composed of Abbey's roof, bathing house's roof, channels that carry rainwater, and reservoirs for water storage. The water consuming system consists of irrigation channels, charcoal purification walls and the production process of apple brandy. The drainage system consists of water treatment towers. In order to realize the recycling of water resources, the effective collection of rainwater, efficient water saving devices and water use devices can fully improve the water efficiency. The rainwater collection roof in the pilgrim house is difficult to meet the water consumption of the entire Apple Brandy Landscape, so we included rainwater collection system on the roof of Abbey roof into our project, which enlarged the range of rainwater collection, and then the available water resources increase. The roof for rainwater harvesting transports rainwater to the transmission channels in time, and the size of the channels are controlled to reduce the loss of water during transportation. In sewage treatment plants, the treated sewage can be discharged directly into the sea or used to flush bathrooms in buildings in Apple Brandy Landscape, or to clean roads and vehicles. In doing so, some of the pressure on rainwater harvesting storage could be relieved.
COLLECT [scene 1]
The roof as the collection device at the beginning of the water supply system and is the most important part of the entire water cycle. Rainwater is collected through the collecting roof with a water channel in a certain slope, and the water is supplied to the whole building through the channel system in the whole building, finally stored in the reservoir transformed by the old school nearby. The roof is made of copper, which can change the
the temperature of rainwater because of its high thermal conductivity. As the copper roof is metal, it is heavier, and exists in a sloping state, so more structures need to be used to support the roof and also reduce the thickness of copper plates. Since the building itself is a steel structure, it can be made more stable by adding beams.
The perspective section of the Pilgrim House
Roof copper - collects rainwater, uses the thermal conductivity of metals to change the temperature of rainwater
Bathing House concrete, timber, gravel - a small graden near the bathing pool creates a comfortable environment for the users
Lounge timber, steel, concrete - the rain that runs down the sides of the roof on rainy days creates an interesting environmental experience for the users
Channel copper - transports water throughout the building, providing daily water and irrigation
Stairs steel, timber - address the connection between the house and the existing gate
Sleeping Space timber, concrete, steel - slender windows allow users to interact with the channel below and to enjoy the outdoor gardens
Benches concrete - provide a resting place for visitors entering the Abbey from the existing entrance
Pipe copper - transports rainwater into tanks, leaves gaps under the pipe so users can see where the water is coming from
Washing Space concrete, gravel - the semi-outdoor space is not only used by the owner of the building, but also by people who enter the garden
Frame steel - form a certain gap with the existing walls, which not only protects the old walls but also structural stability
The exploded view of the Pilgrim House
COLLECT [scene 1 in the past]
The rainwater collecting roof we made in the Bathing House in The Apple Brandy Landscape developed from the Water Gate we made in The Western Watergate of Nicosia. In this project, the roof is sloped to allow rainwater to be collected in channels. A sunken gap in the roof panel is used to allow rainwater to leak through it, allowing people passing through the building to feel the rain dripping. There is also a channel system in the Water Gate, which allows rainwater collected
by the roof to be transported throughout the building and to be used to irrigate some of the vertical gardens in the building. Some of the unused water and the water treated with charcoal in the building are discharged into the water tank next to the Water Gate through the channel, participating in the water cycle of the whole project. The Water Gate serves as a new entrance to the ancient city of Nicosia, allowing people to have a water-related experience at the first moment of entry.
The perspective veiw of the Water Gate
TRANSPORT [scene 2]
As a part of the water supply system, the channels are also indispensable. In the bathing house, there is a complete channel system to carry the rainwater collected by the roof to the rooms of the building and to irrigate the small gardens in the building. A channel on the roof carries water to the bathing room and the small garden within it, then a portion of water flows directly down to the ancient garden below. The water sent to the bathing room is then channeled into the channel of the rest area for pilgrims. The water will be diverted here, some part of it will continue to enter the living area and washing space of the workers in the building, and water the small garden outside the sleeping area of the workers. The other part follows the channel extending outwards, past the plant wall, and irrigates the plants in it along the channels hidden in the frame. Then
continue to flow vertically down the main channel to water the garden in the old school below. In addition to being a tool for carrying water, the channels also provide a way for people to interact with water. Some of the indoor channels allow people to see the flow of water, see the water falling from a high place and hear the sound of the water colliding with the metal channels. However, some channels of different materials, such as the timber channels, could allow people smell the woody fragrance emitted by the contact of water and wood. Channels in different areas should be kept on the same surface as much as possible, which can reduce the loss of water during transportation.
The perspective veiw of the Bathing House
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Existing garden Tanks for washing feet and hands A stone wall with holes for hanging clothes Dining room A pipe that takes the water to the tanks A small garden irrigated by collected rainwater Sleeping space A channel that takes water from the large water tank to the gardens Existing old school The main road on the island A water channel Lounge for the guest A water channel A bathing pool A small garden A roof that collects rainwater for this house Benches at the entrance to the abbey Existing entrance to the abbey
Section from south to north of the Pilgrim House
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IRRIGATION [scene 3]
The collected water in the tank will be transported through the deck to become the waterfall in front of the crossing statue. Then it will be recollected in the pool and flow to the garden and irrigate the apple trees in the garden.
TRANSPORT [scene 2&3 in the past]
The channels we did in the Pilgrim House developed from the pergola in the Wetland Park we did in the Western Watergate of Nicosia. In this project, channels are added to the ordinary pergola. Then the developed pergola starts from the reservoir, and the water in the reservoir is transported to the wetland park through the channels in the pergola for irrigation. There is also some water used to feed the bathing pools in the Bathing House. Some vertical channels in the pergola allow high water
to flow into the channels on the ground to form a complete water transport system. These vertical channels allow water not only to be carried to high bathing pools, but also to meet the water needs of ground pools and plants. Some parts of the pergola serve not only as a means of transporting water, but also as a structure for high bathing pools. Some hollowed-out parts also provide shade for the paths that tourists will pass through in the park below.
The perspective veiw of the Wetland Park
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Water channel in the Pergola Vertical water channel in the Pergola Water channel on the ground Wetland park Plants in the wetland park
Section of the Pergola
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BATHING [scene 4]
The Bathing House is a place where one or two pilgrims can bathe before entering the Abbey, or the new entrance to Abbey. In this building, a water-based circulation provides pilgrims with a water-related experience. And two workers who work here also have their own water experience. After entering the old school garden, the first thing you will see is a place for people to wash their hands and feet. This is because in the second part of the building is where the workers and the pilgrims could have a rest. Therefore, setting up such a public washing space allows people to interact with the water as soon as they enter the building. In this area there is also a stone wall for people to hang their clothes and a common lounge area.
The bird veiw of the Bathing House
The perspective veiw of the Bathing House
BATHING [scene 4]
The second part of the building is where the workers are separated from the pilgrim’s route, so there are two separate paths here to avoid disturbing privacy. It is also the place where workers change their identities. One path leads to the sleeping room, and the other path leads to the bathing room, which is the place to work. There are some strip windows in the room where the workers live. These windows allow the workers to see the raindrops on the glass roof in rainy days, and to see the channels in the deck below that carry the water. Then, the pilgrims will follow the public path to the third part of the building, the final bathing room. There is an area for pilgrims to rest before arriving
at the bathing room. Pilgrims can use this room before or after using the bathing room, either as a short rest stop or overnight stay. Besides, there is a circle of voids around the roof, so the pilgrims could hear the sound of rain dripping and interact with the rain on rainy days. In this lounge, the metal windows have extensions, which also add variety to the interior space. Finally reached the bathing room. The use of concrete and stone in this room gives the space a sense of heaviness. There is a small garden next to the bath, which makes the space more breathable and makes the bathing experience better.
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A stone wall with holes for hanging clothes A tank for washing feet A tank for washing hands Dining room A plant wall irrigated by water system A small garden irrigated by collected rainwater Steel stair A stair connects the house and the existing gate A water channel A roof that collects rainwater for this house A water channel Existing old wall Existing garden
Section from the west to east of the Pilgrim House
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Ground floor plan of the Pilgrim House
First floor plan
Second floor plan
Third floor plan
Step 1
Washing
Provide a space to wash hands and feet before entering the building, allowing people to interact with the water at this point
Step 2
Changing
Workers change their identity at this time, entering the space where they live on the one route and the workplace to operate bathing house on the other
Exploded Elements and Detail Drawing
Step 3
Relaxation
Users can rest in this space before and after using the bathing house, or stay temporarily, it also provides an environment that can interact with the rain
Step 4
Bathing
Concrete walls and stone bath give the space a sense of thickness, while the addition of a small garden gives the space a breathable feeling, making the bathing experience better
BATHING [scene 4 in the past]
As water has always been a key thesis in our project, in The Western Watergate of Nicosia, considering that there is a Holy Cross Church nearby, we want to make a Bathing House that allow pilgrims to bathe before entering the church. In addition, this Bathing House is in the Wetland Park where should be many tourists. So, this Bathing House is more for the public. The Bathing House is intertwined with the pergola, so we try to fill part of the pergola with water to make them as additional bathing pools. In doing so, people could see the flow of water in the adjacent irrigation channels as they bathe in these bathing pools. The water for the Bathing House is carried from the reservoir, and the treated sewage is then discharged into the ditches around the building to participate in the water cycle. These ditches are located next to each building which used to serve these buildings.
Inside the Bathing House, in order to distinguish the different ways of using between the public and the pilgrims, the distribution of bathing rooms and spaces is changed accordingly. Some outdoor public bathing pools are more suitable for tourists who come here to relax and can also rest on the terrace next to the pool. Some indoor public bathing pools are suitable for bathing on rainy days. There are also smaller bathing spaces for one person only, which allow pilgrims to bathe on their own.
The bird veiw of the Bathing House
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The entrance to the Bathing House A bathing pool for public A ditch around the building A public bathing pool Reception Changing rooms Personal bathing pools A public indoor bathing pool A public open air bathing pool A terrace Several pipes that drain away water
Ground floor plan of the Bathing House
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Bathrooms A roof terace
First floor plan of the Bathing House
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A roof garden A roof terrace Public bathing pools on the grid of the Pergola
Second floor plan of the Bathing House
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WATER TANK [scene 5]
Water tank, using the reservoir in Nicosia Rocca Bastion as prototype, is the storage of water collected from the rainfall. The water tank sits in an original stone house which used to be a school. The stone wall is cut off and a piece of wooden wall is inserted diagonally as a new entrance, leading visitors on the main road to enter. The tank is using timber as the main material so that water could get the smell of the timber. The bottom of the tank is concrete
to carry the weight of water. Around the bottom of the tank is a circle of ditch, the water in the tank can directly flow into it, and those who enter the church and need the bathing can sit on the edge of the ditch and put their feet in it. On the first floor is a metal mesh walkway around the tank, people can stand on the walkway and watch the water inside the tank. At the same time, the pores of the metal iron mesh also allow people to see the baptism that is taking place downstairs. One end of the metal structure of
mesh walkway is fixed to the stone wall, and the other end is fixed to the steel structure of the tank, and some pores flow out from the metal mesh pedal and the joints so that the structure can be seen more clearly.
Ground floor plan of the Water Tank
First floor plan of the Water Tank
Section DD 1:100
CISTERN [scene 6]
In the Apple Brandy Landscape, there is a purification garden. The garden is adjacent to the reservoir converted from the old school in the Pilgrim House. Therefore, the main role of the garden is to store more water for the entire landscape, and to purify part of the rainwater for drinking. A new reservoir is designed below the wooden deck, so that the reservoir and deck form as a thick wall. In addition, a new wall composed of concrete, soil, and plants was added inside the old wall, so that the reservoir can be isolated from the old wall and avoid being eroded by water.
There are some pumps in the reservoir, which can pump the water from the reservoir into the channels of the deck, then carrying it to the whole landscape. On the deck there is a spiral staircase going down the water pump. This staircase provides an opportunity for the pilgrims on the deck to get up close and personal with the water. There is also a path above the garden next to the reservoir, which is the main path for pilgrims to enter the garden, and it also allows pilgrims to intuitively feel the architectural elements in the scene, with the reservoir on one side and the apple orchard on the other.
The veiw from the pathway above the garden
RESERVOIR [scene 5&6 in the past]
The reservoir is the place to store water so as to feed the drained Pedieos River and in so doing and provisions water along the buffer zone. It is remoulded by the old Rocca Bastion. The inhabited walls of the old bastion and new concrete walls of the reservior become the first and second skin of the reservior. Between these two skin is the green line park. Under the reservoir there are some drilled well and these are basically the resources of the water in reservoir. Also, the
reservoir collects the rainfall. Water in reservoir can flow out which is controlled by the reservoir gate, then to a ladder and then step down to the wetland park and it generally becomes steam. And it flows back to the pond outside the city wall then back to the reservoir. The accessibility of the reservior is the inspiration of the mesh walkway and the foot-washing sink around the water tank.
A JOURNEY ABOUT WATER [in the past]
The strategy is to create an integrated route around the gate thus to reactivate the entrance of the city. Using the old Rocca Bastion, Paphos Gate and Church of the Holy Cross as an armature, the architecture of the Watergate drills down to the aquifer, releasing the water into the reservoir bastion which then discharges it through a water gate within a stepwell wall, across an elevated aqueduct, diverting to a raised bathing pool and bath house. From here the water diverges to feed the baptismal font of the Church, spilling out to a wetland landscape and buffer zone beyond. The pergola in the Wetland Park is used to transport water and irrigate plants. The remaining water filters though the Paphos water gate, a rain collection architecture draining south to rejoin the Pedieos River beyond. And at the same time it could also be a walking system where people can have different kinds of experience with water here. we rebuild the old Venetian offense wall and gate of this city, using the bastion to build a reservoir to store the water and supply the buffer zone and areas around it. So it could be a release of the conflicts of water usage south and north. And at the same time, open a new gate and bring the new order for the city. Our field is mainly around the old paphos gate and bastion. There is a whole circulation for people to walk around in this field. We hope the water could flow out of the reservoir and supply the buildings and area it flow through and then back to the reservoir. And at the same time it could also be a walking system where people can have different kinds of experience with water here. At the gate of the city is a series of water collection,they are the roofs along the city wall so that it could collect the rainfall and supply the reservoir. And under the reservoir there’re some drilled well so these are basically the resources of the water in reservoir. And the water in reservoir can flow out which is controlled by the reservoir gate, then to a ladder and then step down to the wetland park and it generally becomes steam. And it flow back to the pond outside the city wall then back to the reservoir.
Context [in the past]
Nicosia is the capital of the divided Cyprus, next to the Pedieos River, which is an important river on the island. The Pedioes River, was key to the prosperity of Nicosia, running from west to east, providing water for the city. But incessant floods in the 14th century forced it to change course, bypassing the walls and running south ever since. The river is now regularly drying up, which is indicative of the current dry climate. Floods are frequent, however, and the river serves to protect the city from flooding. It also shows that water management remains the political and economic centre of the divided island. Therefore, the management of water resources is the key of our thesis, by restoring the Pedieos River, providing a waterscape for the city and serving the city. Nicosia has a long history with many buildings from the reigns of different rulers. After the Venetians occupied Cyprus in 1489, a circular city wall and 11 forts were built in the center of the city, which is the Venetian Walls. Among them, Rocca Bastion is the closest one to the Pedieos River, so we want to use this bastion as a new urban water storage space to share the pressure of the Pedieos River. In this area, there is a Paphos Gate, which was a very important gate in ancient times. Today, a new gate has been opened next to Paphos Gate as the main entrance of the city, while Paphos Gate can only pass pedestrians. The Western Watergate of Nicosia is to redesign this area to become a new water-related city gate. Cyprus has a special area which is the United Nations Buffer Zone. This is a demilitarized area that splits Cyprus into two parts. The Buffer Zone is also often referred to as the Green Line, and there is very limited traffic across the zone. There are many old villages, shops, and other remnants of what once lived scattered throughout the buffer zone. It has also always been a haven for all kinds of flora and fauna, as there is little human disturbance. Therefore, the natural environment of the Buffer Zone can be said to be well maintained. Our thesis also hopes to feed buffer zone with water of the reservoir to protect the good ecological environment here.
Pedieos River Pedieos River flows through the buffer zone which divides the island. The river is considered important for the establishment and development of Nicosia, providing the area with sufficient water through its groundwater reserves. But Nicosia has had many floods historically due to the Pedieos River, making the central Nicosia a flood hazard area.
Venetian Walls The Venetian Walls were built to fortify the city, surrounding the center of Nicosia
Pedioes River
Bird Habitat
Rocca Bastion
Old Paphos
s Gate
Holy Cross Church
Buffer Zone
Büyük Han
Rocca Bastion
Paphos Gate
Buffer Zone The United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus is a demilitarized zone, patrolled by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. Buffer Zone is also known as the Green Line, seperating the city into southern and northern sections.
Holy Cross Catholic Church
PURIFICATION [scene 7]
The most important function of the Purification Garden is to be used in the subsequent production process of apple brandy, and also to provide drinking water for the public. Therefore, in this garden, a large number of filter walls with charcoal interlayers are used, which guarantees the efficiency of water filtration. The charcoal walls in the garden are broadly classified into two categories. One is adding a charcoal interlayer to the thick wall around the reservoir, where the filtered water flows to the apple brandy's production process.
Another category is the charcoal walls in the garden, which have holes in them that provide a place for pilgrims to rest. The water filtered here can be used as drinking water for the public, and people who rest here can drink it directly. In addition, there is a channel under the filter wall seat through which some unfiltered water can be passed to irrigate the apple trees in the garden.
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A charcoal sandwich layer used to purify rainwater Some tables where people can take a seat, have a taste of apples and apple brandy 3 A walkway upon the garden allows people to pick apples from high up 4 Shelves used for apple storage 5 Charcoal sandwich layer 6 A walkway 7 A stair allows people to go down to touch water 8 A deck 9 A new reservoir wall 10 An old wall 11 An old pathway
Perspective section of the Purification Garden
Deck - timber, concrete - the wooden deck help send water, so the water could make people feel the smell of timber. Some concrete tubes help pump water
Pathway - concrete - the concrete pathway looks unpretentious, make the pathway harmony with the environment
Shelves - timber, metal - the wooden structure shelves help to store limited apples, some metal components help to strengthen the structure
Purification Walls
- concrete, charcoal - the extensive use of concrete makes the architectural parts of the garden unpretentious, while the charcoal inside help purify rainwater
TREATMENT [scene 8]
The Water Treatment Tower is converted from an old watchtower, retaining the original stone walls. A new wall was added inside the stone wall, consisting of concrete, soil, and plants, which protects the original stone wall from water erosion and ensures that the new architecture is independent of the old building. A maintenance pathway allows workers to access the maintenance well at the middle of the watchtower. In addition, the road leads all the way outside the stone wall, breaking the closed facade
This road is not only for workers, but also for pilgrims. Doing so gives the public the opportunity to see the water treatment process, as well as walk all the way outside the stone walls and enjoy the sea view. Since it is converted from an old tower, it is important to preserve the original stone walls. In the new building, the new wall and the maintenance pathway keep some gaps with the stone wall to avoid damage caused by direct contact between the old and new architectural materials.
A bird view of the Water Treatment Watchtower
Watchtower plan
Watchtower section
Ⅲ
PILGRIMAGE A new route to the Abbey
After entering from the southern entrance of the island, many restaurants and handicraft shops gather in the southeastern part of the island. This is the most common way for tourists to visit Abbey. This also makes the land on the west side of the island rarely explored, and there is a large open space here. gardens and empty paths. We hope to create a new route which offers an opportunity for people to explore more on this island. Therefore, we use this seldom-visited area to plant apple trees and make apple brandy. The garden and inhabited wall are emphasized. At the same time, It draws a distinction between people who comes to visit or pilgrimage and people who comes to explore the Brandy Landscape. The landscape responds to the inhabited house and structure: We reconstruct The Center for National Monuments to be the start of the route. La Tour Gabriel now is used as Watchtower to treat waste water. The old wall is becoming the conjunction of the Brandy Manufacture and the new Deck. All the stone houses are reserved to be the vessel of new structure. In response to the buildings on the site, new building materials are also made of stone. There are four elements that organize the order of the landscape: continuous deck, barrel array, apple trees array and the landscape walls. During this journey people could have the whole experience of apple brandy tasting and making. The Journey starts at the Gatehouse Bottling Plant where you could get a finished bottle of brandy. Then through the Barrel Wall Forest(where is used to be the parking lane) people will walk between the walls of barrels. The deck is connected with the Barrel Wall Forest. Visitors could go up to the deck and get to the Brandy Manufacture. There’s also a slope under the deck which is used to roll the barrels down from the workshop to the forest. There are mainly four steps of the making process. Each of the steps takes up a small house under the deck. In other words, the deck is as well as the roof of these houses. The wasted apple mash could feed the migrating birds which is helpful for the ecological landscape in this island. The deck is continuous and goes through the Purification. It ends up with the House of Water Tank. Finally after this long journey people could arrive at the entrance of the Abbey.
GATEHOUSE [scene 1]
The Bottling Plant is the first stop on the pilgrimage route. Pilgrims can sample apple brandy and buy here. Workers can also complete the bottling process of apple brandy and store the bottled brandy in the cellar. For pilgrims, after passing through the stone gate close to the sea, the new gatehouse, the Bottling Plant, which is transformed from the old gatehouse comes into view. Through the mesh wall, pilgrims could see the glass house faintly visible, which is the main part of the building. The glass, metal mesh wall and the ancient stone walls are in obvious contrast, reflecting the difference between old and new materials. There is a gap space between the mesh wall and the glass house, which is also the main path of the pilgrims. They have two different ways to the next stop, one is through the ancient arched stone cave into the tasting space, and then continues to the ground level of the next stop. The tasting space is a fullheight space with natural light
pouring in through the glass roof. The storage space on the first floor uses a stone wall with a hollowed-out method, so that people can vaguely see the activities of the workers and the brandy racks. Another route can be followed up the gap space and see the workers inside doing bottling work and transporting brandy bottles. The angled roof and mesh wall avoid direct sunlight, while the transparent buildings let in a lot of gentle light. Therefore, pilgrims can see the light and shadow changes inside the building in the gap space. In addition, due to the gap between the new glass house and the old stone walls, pilgrims can feel the historical weight of the old building when passing through it. The paths in the gap space have places for people to stop and rest, and can also lead directly to the next stop of the pilgrimage.
GATEHOUSE [scene 1]
The route for the workers in the building are separated from the pilgrims. Workers' activity space, such as bottling, storage, and transportation space, are as close to the periphery as possible, because it is more convenient to transport goods out. Besides, this allows pilgrims to see the activity inside the building from the outside. Rest spaces and bathrooms for workers are also different from pilgrims. These
rooms for the workers are located on the ground floor of the building, complete with concrete and hollowed-out stone walls. This ensures the privacy of the space while enhancing ventilation.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Bottling space Apple brandy tasting space Bathrooms for guests An ancient arched gateway Bottle storage space A gap space between the bottling house and the mesh wall A mesh wall which protects brandy from direct sunshine The ancient building walls An office
Ground floor plan
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
A changing room A bathroom for workers A space for workers to have a rest Bottle storage space Stairs between shelves for workers to move bottles The ancient building walls A mesh wall which protects brandy from direct sunshine A space for people to have a rest between the walls when they look at the activity inside 9 A gap space between the bottling house and the mesh wall 10 A pathway leading to brandy forest
First floor plan
Roof section detail
Stairs and shelves section detail
FOREST [scene 2]
The second stop on the pilgrimage is the Barrel Wall Forest. A large number of apple brandy barrels are stored here, providing an opportunity for pilgrims to touch the barrels, or stop here to rest before moving on to the next stop. After coming out of the Bottling Plant, the pilgrims will come to the Brandy Wall Forest. The barrels here are stored in rows of shelves, with glass tops and mesh walls providing shade for the barrels from direct sunlight. These shelves together with mesh walls, or with other shelves, make up barrel walls. The space between these walls is very limited, so as pilgrims pass through these paths, they can touch the barrels and smell the woody and apple brandy aromas.
There is a small garden in the Brandy Wall Forest where some apple trees are planted. There is also a resting platform where pilgrims can take a break and feel the atmosphere surrounded by apple trees and apple brandy barrels. In addition, this platform is connected to the deck, making it easy for pilgrims to travel to the next stop.
A bird view of the Brandy Wall Forest
There is a garden in the brandy wall forest which provides space for people to rest in, surrounded by barrels and apple trees.
The gap space between the barrel walls is quite limited, so people could touch the barrels, feel the smell, and have a great experience with apple brandy.
THE DECK [scene 3]
The great deck is one of the most important elements in the landscape. It is the connection among the Gateway of abbey, Brandy manufacture and the Barrel forest. The deck starts at the Barrel Forest. Going along the wall then you could go up to the deck through a stair. The first stop point of the deck is the Observation platform where people could have a overview of the Barrel Forest.Then there is a length of
two-double long zigzag bridge. The top layer is for walking and the second layer is for transporting the barrels.All the filled barrel from the distillation will be rolled down through this bridge which is hanging on the structure of the deck. The zigzag trend becomes the buffer of the rolling barrels. When it comes to the Brandy Manufacture, the deck has one more function that is the roof of the stone house.
There are several staircase from the deck to the stone house which breaks the boundary between interior space and exterior space of the manufacture process. Parts of the deck touch the inhabited thick wall and others leave a space to form a line garden. There are several bridges that connect the deck and the main road behind the thick wall.
The structure of the deck is independent. It is supported by the timber columns and beam. The wooden floor is boarded on the structure. The wooden handrail of the deck is fixed on the beam, showing the coherence with the deck.
Apple Orchard [scene 4]
Espaliers, trained into flat twodimensional forms, are used not only for decorative purposes, but also for gardens in which space is limited. At the same time, the frame used as training trees responds to the barrel array in the Barrel Forest.
There are plenty of open land located in the middle of the island. To build a whole landscape of brandy making, we have decided to use these land as apple orchard to plant apples for the manufacture. In order to increase production of apples and enhance the orderliness of this land, espalier is being used in the planting. Espalier is the horticultural and ancient agricultural practice of controlling woody plant growth for the production of fruit, by pruning and tying branches to a frame.
BRANDY MANUFACTURE [scene 5]
There are mainly four steps of the making process: washing, mashing, ferment and distillation. Washing and Mashing both happen in an inhabited stone house. First of all, the harvested apple will be collected from the garden and sent to wash. The washing water is the rainfall that collected from the roof and simply purified. The forecourt of this stone house used to be an empty yard. The
brandy manufacture houses situate in higher terrain than the apple orchard. Therefore, we set up a landscape ramp in that forecourt so that workers could use trolley to transport apples to this place.
In the washing house, workers put apples in a concrete sink to wash. Then they lift the basket in the sink up. Apples will be drained and used water will fall down back to the sink through the holes on basket then piped into garden to irrigate apple trees. The washed apples will roll down through the narrow timber bridge to the next process. Therefore, no more human force is needed in transporting. Behind the house is a staircase that could lead people from the brandy workshop to the main road by the entrance of the Abbey. The facade close to the inhabited wall is open, leaving a atrium under the staircase.
And then the washed apple will be sent to the mashing room. In here, apples pulped into ’cheese’ which is like blending. Then the cheese would be squeezed to get the apple juice. This happens in a dig-down sink. Around the sink is the walkway higher than the sink, where workers could stand above and crush the apples with the stick. The altitude difference provides gravity for workers to make the mashing easier. The mashing room keep the original walls of the house so that the atrium is also reserved. The atrium is the resting place for the workers.
The third step of the brandy manufacture is ferment. It requires open and capacious space to store the bucket where the ferment happens. The deck offers a great shelter for those fermenting buckets. Steel shelves are set up complying with the column of the deck. These shelves also respond to the orders in Barrel Forest. Steel shelves extend metal mesh walkway which allows people walk in front of the buckets. There is a big wooden staircase that could lead people to the deck.
Finally it comes to the distillation. This process needs higher space to put the facilities. Making apple brandy needs copper boiler because the sulfur compounds in copper could clean the water we used in this process. Part of the roof is folded down to the ground and becomes a staircase. People could walk into this room through the stair and stand up on the platform to watch how the machine works. A timber water tank is set up to collect the raw stock from the two distill machines. Water tank is equipped with tap where barrels will be filled up with. The whole distillation house consists of the working place and a narrow long walkway. Tourists could walk through the corridor and have a closer look of the making process. By the end of this room is a high top table with chairs. People could have a taste of the new making brandy and listen to the workers talk about the history and the making of brandy. So this is a resting place for people after the whole journey of brandy landscape.
Interior design of the distillation
To keep the consistency and continuity of the deck, we separate the structure of the deck and the stone house under it. The original roof and the top of the walls were removed, leaving some space between the stone wall and deck, which allows sunlight to reach the interior of the room. The gap is filled with steel structure and glass. This houses looks like separate volumes under the deck. However, actually they are connected by the deck as well as the circulation of the brandy making process.
GARDEN [scene 6]
As mentioned earlier, this garden is used to purify rainwater for subsequent apple brandy production process and public drinking water. In addition to the aforementioned reservoir and charcoal walls, this garden has a few places where pilgrims can have an apple brandy related experience. Some apple trees are planted in the garden, which is the raw material for making apple brandy. The overhead path above the garden is not only a great place for panoramic views,
but also a place for people to pick apples from high up. There are wooden shelves in the garden to store a portion of the apples. The water filtered by the Charcoal walls can not only drink directly, but also wash the apples. Therefore, pilgrims can also taste apples and take a break here. Holes in the charcoal walls not only provide tables, but also broaden the view. This allows pilgrims to look through the walls and see the apple orchard integrated with the charcoal walls.
A bird view of the Purification Garden
There are also some holes on the charcoal wall, so people could have a great view of apple trees while they sit here, have a taste of apples or apple brandy.
Entrance of the Abbey [scene 7]
The final point of this journey is the new gateway to the the Abbey. The deck ends up with the house of water tank. You need to climb a great stairway to get to the current entrance of the Abbey. Some pilgrims even climbed the stairs on their knees. The barbicans, outer fortifications that protected the main entrance, had heavy doors that opened on a horizontal axis, probably dating from the late
14th century. Unlike those who enter the church for tourism or pilgrimage, the new gateway gives those who want to explore a more complete water experience.
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