Rivers: urban blue infrastructure

I worked on urban rivers and their role in improving urban infrastructure cultural ecosystem services. Today I found an interesting web link (BBC Persian) on how a river transforms the urban landscape.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/interactivity/2013/04/130409_ugc_zayandehrood.shtml


The images in the link  show Isfahan, a big city in central Iran. Due to local water resource management system during drought years, Zayandeh Rood (the main river in the city) flows only a few months annually. Today the river brightened and revitalized the city after a dry season. Looking at people and their faces shows how excited they are. I just thought Zayandeh Rood is the most appropriate name for such an influential river: it means a river that generates and creates, a river that gives life. 

Dissertation

Last Summer passed so quickly as I was snowed under loads of works, reading papers and recent studies on urban riverscape designs. Finally the title of the dissertation became:

"Effective visual design elements in rivers restoration projects contributing to cultural ecosystem services"

Now, having submitted the dissertation and presentation boards, I think I should pursue working on rivers in the urban context. Previously I had some experiences on water resources and flow forecasting, and then I started studying urbanism and landscape architecture. It's interesting that I see rivers differently. It's not only about  keeping them alive for ecological reasons, but also conserving them for people, shaping memories and identity of a place.

A great music for blog-reading!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzYt_Ko9smU

David Darling: Cycle Song

Rivers in urban spaces, Thames

I was looking through different topics related to water in urban space, especially Thames in London. I found "Thames 21", which is a waterway charity, website and I read their activities. And then interestingly I found Soundmap of London website, in which u can listen to recorded sounds of different parts of Thames in this url:

http://www.soundsurvey.org.uk/index.php/survey/waterways/

I listened to Regents Canal Camden. It was a good experince, different from what we hear everyday in London, especially during daytime.

Blue!

I shall remember whenever I feel blue, this makes me feel 'un peu' happy! Je l'adore!!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23EIjQ4Nxnw

Current light map

The following map shows light intensity distribution on local area around the site. Mostly residential areas are bright during nights and commercial focal points are not crowded and probably consequently they don't have attractive lighting.

light-artists

David Batchelor's works, which depicts light spectrum in Xmas lighting and different installations from Washington to Barcelona. His work Ten silhouettes in London underground station can clearly show changes in mood while passing by them.

Ten silhouettes (Gloucester Road Underground Station, London, 27 June – 24 October. Source: http://www.davidbatchelor.co.uk/about/. Picture Source:http://art.tfl.gov.uk/projects/detail/1357/)

Christmas lighting installation

Spectrum

I also found Carlo Bernardini's works very inspiring specially in designing light for landscape. Lighting in landscape is not limited to post lamps or lights along a road. to making new spaces, it's better to use sculpture lights.

Triennale Milano

Architectural space

Light Line (2003), Rome. (Source: http://www.carlobernardini.it/File_uk/PHOTO_GALLERY_UK/PHOTO_GALLERY_3_UK-Pagine/Immagine0.html)