Traditional Water Systems Informing Sustainable Contemporary Drylands Design: Documentation, Extraction, and Deployment

Abstract

Climate change has become a pressing issue in cities around the globe, especially those in dry regions. Despite these cities’ cultural vitality, water shortages are among the central problems impacting society. The aim of this study was to recapture, record, and rethink the world’s traditional water systems with two objectives. The first objective was to scrutinize the mechanics, social functions, and spatial organization of these systems. The second objective was to develop novel adaptations of these old technologies for new discourses and apply them to the water-stressed urban landscapes of Los Angeles. The intent was to build a greater capacity for resilient landscape and infrastructure design in a post-carbon world by constructing a more robust lexicon of pre-carbon drylands design. Notable similarities surfaced among the systems despite their distinct cultural backgrounds and historical origins, indicating commonalities across the evolution of water infrastructure in human history. The output of this study established the basis for a systematic drylands atlas as a resource for research-informed design of the built environment. The outcomes make fundamental water-centric climate change adaptation strategies accessible through visual communication techniques for professional practices and pedagogic purposes.