the cistern

with Sangdo Choi

Structural Design
Prof. Christoph Gegnagel
11th semester - 2022
The University of Arts Berlin

student competition: one of the two projects chosen for potential realization

A cistern collects rainwater - a construction task that is becoming increasingly important in the face of climate change and water scarcity. The cistern should become a spatial experience, where one walks along the water tanks and between the wooden supports, listening to the dripping water from the roof into the water tank, while gaining a view of the surround- ing hills. The perception of the wooden structure is meant to transform with seasons of the year: in winter, the water is collected and the cistern becomes a visible feature of the fruit garden; in summer, the water is stored and distributed and the cistern is shrouded between the leaves of the walnut trees. Over the years, the structure that nourished the fruit garden will be overgrown by vegetation, completely hiding it from the first glance of visitors.

This design is based on the traditional construction principles for building the collection area, water reservoir and water distribution. The 200 m2 collection area is defined as a sloping copper roof from which rainwater is collected and stored in the rain gutters and in the 50 m3 water reservoir. The water distribution is done by gravity principle, positioning the water collection point on the highest point of the hill and distributing the water from the tank down- wards with a water pipe network and a tap system. The wood species is spruce. The foundation of the structure is made with the steel feet in a gabion foundation.

Location: Caporciano, Abruzzo region, Italy