Hanging Water FoliesMARB 14: Measuring the Mountains
After visiting the Valle d’Aosta site, I became fascinated by the flowing water in the valley. I wanted to give the water a voice through architectural interventions. This was achieved by giving the water a specific role each time, such as breaking stone, freezing, flowing through something, and more.
This led to three folies - each with the same dimensions of 3 by 4 metres.
The first pavilion encountered while walking to a mountain hut is designed to capture the sound of water. A wooden structure forms a sound box into which almost no light penetrates, shifting the focus to listening. The structure of the wall is designed to optimise the sound experience: there is a reflective surface of PVC on the inside, followed by sound insulation between the wooden structure, and corrugated sheets on the outside to keep the sound out. The second pavilion aims to collect water. It features several spouts on the wall, which serve as natural taps. This creates sources of water for walkers and spectacular icicles during frosts. The volume and number of spouts are carefully calculated so that only during spring on the warmest days the dam floods slightly. On other days, it alternates between using one and all spouts.
The third pavilion is made out of massive stone. Here, water is allowed to be an opening and closing door via an opening in the roof. The bigger idea is that, over time, water will also be able to erode this massive rock. By the time the other structures are long gone, this one will still be standing, showing the impact of water on solid rock. The formation of this space takes place over a longer period than usual.
The three pavilions also have an intriguing interplay with the scale of the imposing surrounding mountains. Through their design and functions, they create an interesting contrast between the human scale and the majestic scale of the surrounding natural landscapes. This contrast highlights not only the unique role of each pavilion, but also the modesty of human interventions compared to the grandeur of nature.
