Water management is considered to be the most important function of the Amsterdam canal. To get clean water for the city at least thrice a week, water is pumped from the lake Ijsselmeer. The water locks are closed and the pressure that is created pushes dirty water out from the other side of the city, helping proper sanitation. Taking all this into consideration Margot Krasojevic has created a water purifying bridge, which not only ensures a steady supply of potable water but also creates a current of water that keeps the canals clean.
Inspired by the requirements, the structure of this planned bridge follows a process in which water flow current generated pushes dirty water out using the steel pipes. This water is then allowed to pass through a sieve and the flow thus created helps regulate impurities because the process is repeated every alternate day. Acting as a conventional water pump, the bridge has been designed to throw dirty water out to the other side of Amsterdam, where some cleaning boats can be employed to remove the dirt. Apart from its water purifying capabilities, the bridge can also act as a safe place for water birds such as herons, ducks, gulls and coots, which are mostly attracted towards the clean water.
This bridge also features a coffee shop in an orange water channel which has an inner shatterproof fixed glass panels that imitate and give the feel of being underwater. The whole plot is a piece of domestic land which like an urban beach, allows the people to sunbathe, recreate and relax. The coffee shop and the steel ridged edge that envelop the bridge reveal the constant movement in the city. Thus apart from efficiently managing clean water in the city, this bridge also gives an exciting feel to the visitors at the coffee shop of being underwater for some time.
Via: Inhabitat