by Ali Kriscenski
In the Dead Sea region, control of water is a source of political friction and presents an ecological quandary that threatens the drinking supply for inhabitants. A research project from New York-based architect Phu Hoang Office seeks to address and solve these site specific issues with ‘No Man’s Land’, a series of artificial islands that would provide recreation, tourist attractions, renewable energy, and create fresh water.
The project was shortlisted in the Architectural Association’s Environmental Tectonics 2007 competition for its innovative approach to a complex issue. Showing how architecture can be part of multi-disciplinary solutions, ‘No Man’s Land’ tackles the environmental, political and humanitarian problems related to the procurement of fresh water for the region.
As a network of built islands with three distinct designs, ‘No Man’s Land’ would create an artificial archipaelago that employs a variety of building technology. In order to become a source of fresh water, the islands will extract water molecules from the air to be desalinated. Salinity gradient solar ponds, water purification tanks, and water filtering processes will all be integrated into the designated “water islands” of the chain. The other two island designs will be for tourists and solar energy production, providing self sufficient power as well as creating revenue.
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