In preparation for the final...
The Fluidity of Water and the Body:
Laundromat, Water Treatment Facility, Garden
1. The Operation of WaterLaundromat, Water Treatment Facility, Garden
I have begun, but need to continue to measure and diagram the operation of water. Recently I have run a few experiments on the rate at which a specific volume of water drains through a variety of size openings. I have documented the draining of this water and its change in sound from a strong flow to a hesitant drip. I plan on doing more tests on the volume, rates of flow, sounds, speeds, splashes, drips, temperature, and the draining of water as this is necessary to facilitate the synaesthetic experience.
2. Research and Document the Site
I have done some research into the history of the site but additional documentation is needed. I plan on visiting the site again and specifically look at the performance of water on the site. A few questions I would like to answer for myself;
Where does water collect?
Where does it drain off the buildings?
Is there existing protection from the rain?
What does the site sound like when it rains?
Where are the Laundromats in the lower east side?
Are the buildings immediately surrounding the site residential or commercial?
Could their water be recycled and/or influence the design of the project?
The answers to these questions will be important to the siting of the Laundromat itself and the flow of the water and the user through the various programs.
3. Laundromats
I need to go to a Laundromat and document the organization of it and my experience. (Maybe even do a load of laundry while I’m at it.) In addition to examining the experience of the Laundromat itself, I will also document the actual wash and dry cycle.
4. Continue to write more and add to the book.
2 comments:
Dave, I don't know if this is helpful at all, but when you talk about water draining through different sized holes, I think of ancient clocks. They have a specific name, which I do not remember, but these clocks are essentially a cylinder of water with a hole at the bottom and they were used to keep time (much like an hour glass). They never really took off though because I guess they couldn't be made extrememly accurate because the flow cannot be held at a perfectly constant rate. Anyways, maybe look into these.
Thanks for the input Brian, I did a little research into water clocks and they are quite interesting. They date as far back as 1500 BC, with the Egyptians, but the Romans produced more advanced ones later. I think there is potential in designing and using a water clock that coincides with the time to run a load of laundry. It could be positioned in the garden somewhere, and even be a measure of the time within each cycle of the washing process.
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