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Compiled by Avinash Yadav
Raft Foram, an ecological performative structure, aims to produce fresh water from seawater; its prototype applicable globally to all such areas in need of fresh water
Created primarily to combat the growing scarcity of water in the state of California, which has been experiencing severe drought over the last four years resulting in a parched landscape, Foram is a self-sufficient, modular swimming raft-pavilion, equipped with water purification technologies and a solar pond as a clean energy generator to foster coast farming and build an artificial reef of clean water plants in front of Santa Monica bay.
Designed by partners, Paul Bart and Marvin Bratke in collaboration with Studio DE, this innovative floating purification station has won the 4th prize in the internationally acclaimed Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) Competition.
The raft consists of two major parts: the floating raft with scenography that animates the debate on the future of drinkable water into four thematic areas: urban farming, dedicated learning area, an eatery with self-grown food and a water bar at the gravity centre, where the floating platform and performative roof canopy meet each other.
The second is the roof structure that consists of 3 elevated tanks, at the top of the canopy that purify water via direct desalination that gets distributed via a network of transparent tubes and collected at the bottom of the raft.
Foram collects the desalinated water at the three lowest points of its construction via conduit systems. The pumps, which are powered by clean energy gained in the solar ponds, pump the water into the conduit system and from there into the desalination tanks. The desalinated clean water is then pumped into storage tanks, which are mounted on the underside of the rafts.
The fresh clean water can either be enjoyed first hand at the fresh water bar, stored into the Santa Monica water network, used on one of the platforms arms for off shore farming or get vaporized to cool down the surrounding and create its distinct atmosphere inside the structure.
Foram provides a new relaxation and chill out spot in front of the coast of Santa Monica. The pavilion metamorphoses into a fog cloud with evanescent contour of its own inside using sound, smell and media projection to attract its users at nighttime, providing a platform for resident artists and a spectacular and fun off-shore entertainment program.
Importantly, at the centre of the project lies the human itself, balancing between his actions and his respect of the environment. The prototype aims at meeting the need of sustainable management of the water resource and creating awareness by creating a usable piece of transformable architecture.
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