Waterscapes: Dissertation
WATERSCAPE- DISSERTATION
BY RISHABH HAJELA
B.ARCH – 4TH YR
Colins dictionary defines waterscape as a picture, view, or representation of a body of water. But in architectural terms waterscape may be defined as the built environment designed to enhance the effect of water contained or represented within it.
HISTORY
The origin of water usage in a large scale in gardens can be traced back to over-hanging or cantilever Gardens of Babylon where water was transported to each terrace by the help of water wheels. In Egypt water handling instruments like Shaduf , water clocks and Egyptian water wheel or Noria started being used.
In nature water seems to go through three distinct phases. Firstly it is wild in small carefree rivulets which have been created out of springs and surface channels and in which in due time unite to become a river. Secondly, it is captured and put to labour in irrigation channels reservoirs and buildings of all kinds. Thirdly the shapes formed not only in natural movement but those of captivity have inspired man to fashion water as a work of art.
It is probable that the inspiration of natural movement culminated in Bermini’s fountain in Rome and that of water in captivity is the Persian paradise garden.
The Persian paradise garden, evolving over a long period as was an Oasis in the desert. The channels of water became symbols, and surface of water was aerated and kept in movement by low fountains. The first Persian garden is the Pasagarde’s garden where Char Bagh concept of Paradise garden was used for the first time. Here the streams represent four rivers culminating in the pavilion. The Chinese gardens were basically Imperial in nature i.e. in the form of summer lake palaces of the kings where huge water bodies or lakes were present. It is not until we came to Italy in Renaissance that we meet the full glory of the fountains and this was no doubt due to the difficulty in Mesopotamia of not merely acquiring water but of giving it
BY RISHABH HAJELA
B.ARCH – 4TH YR
Colins dictionary defines waterscape as a picture, view, or representation of a body of water. But in architectural terms waterscape may be defined as the built environment designed to enhance the effect of water contained or represented within it.
HISTORY
The origin of water usage in a large scale in gardens can be traced back to over-hanging or cantilever Gardens of Babylon where water was transported to each terrace by the help of water wheels. In Egypt water handling instruments like Shaduf , water clocks and Egyptian water wheel or Noria started being used.
In nature water seems to go through three distinct phases. Firstly it is wild in small carefree rivulets which have been created out of springs and surface channels and in which in due time unite to become a river. Secondly, it is captured and put to labour in irrigation channels reservoirs and buildings of all kinds. Thirdly the shapes formed not only in natural movement but those of captivity have inspired man to fashion water as a work of art.
It is probable that the inspiration of natural movement culminated in Bermini’s fountain in Rome and that of water in captivity is the Persian paradise garden.
The Persian paradise garden, evolving over a long period as was an Oasis in the desert. The channels of water became symbols, and surface of water was aerated and kept in movement by low fountains. The first Persian garden is the Pasagarde’s garden where Char Bagh concept of Paradise garden was used for the first time. Here the streams represent four rivers culminating in the pavilion. The Chinese gardens were basically Imperial in nature i.e. in the form of summer lake palaces of the kings where huge water bodies or lakes were present. It is not until we came to Italy in Renaissance that we meet the full glory of the fountains and this was no doubt due to the difficulty in Mesopotamia of not merely acquiring water but of giving it
References: • New Waterscapes by Herbert Dreiseitl • Time Saver Standards – Landscape design • Wikipedia • Landscape Architects Journal by Tim Austen • www.gardenvisit.com • www.unmuseum.org DESERTATION GUIDE : PROF. MAHUA MUKHERJEE