On The Water

Abstract

Whether we realize it or not, humans have always been attracted to water. The water’s edge has had a physical, mental as well as emotional connection to people in ways that affect the human mind consciously and subconsciously. We know for a fact that the human body consists of over 75% water when we are born and by the time we are an adult, the body is 60% water (Nichols). In a way, you can say, “we are water.” We cannot live without it, and it is a part of our everyday lives. The water and the mind are connected to each other in a link that makes us who we are today. We are attracted to it because of its aesthetic qualities and the sense that it evokes once we encounter it. There is a constant need and desire for people to be on the edge of the water, and if we are ambitious and willing enough, to dive right into it. This is also evident if we look at ancient history and the formation of cities in the first known civilizations. Mesopotamia, located in the middle east, was the first known ancient civilization settled between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, giving it its name which translates out to “land between rivers” (Nichols). Ancient Egypt was also shaped by the abundant resources that were offered by the extensive Nile River, the longest river in the world. The rivers where these civilizations were founded shaped these places into what they had become; without the rivers, these civilization and settlements would not have been possible. It is crucial to note that almost all societies, cities, and settlements were formed primarily in or around bodies or systems of water. This was due mainly to survival and for commerce reasons, but today people find being along the water’s edge more so for recreational purposes and aesthetically pleasing views. Today, it is estimated that 80 percent of the world’s population lives within sixty miles of the coastline of an ocean, lake or river (Nichols). This is a very significant portion of the world’s population, and it can be assumed that people today do still have a strong connection to water, but it is drastically different than it once was in the past. Though what does it mean to connect with water by being along the water’s edge? And why are we still so attracted to it in different ways? We no longer live in a time where we need to live by water to survive, yet the demand for being along the water is still incredibly high and valuable. This thesis is an attempt to understand better what the relationships are between the person and the water’s edge. We can look to those relationships in different settings as well as understand better how they react in different situations. What does indeed attract people to the water, and how can that begin to start a conversation about how architects and planners begin to make spaces that are built and developed along this precious condition? This thesis has developed into a personal, physical, and mental exploration of what draws people to the edge of diverse bodies of water, and how can that condition begin to change the way we interact with the water’s edge in different ways. This process has taken many twists and turns, but it has resulted in a topic that has less to do with the element of water itself. Though the element of water is the essential backbone, this thesis has more to do with how particular landscapes along large bodies of water can provide inspirational, meditative, and connective spaces for creative individuals who choose to express themselves and find stimulus by being on the water.