Architecture Beyond the Tap is a project that aims to rethink architecture with water for climate resilience and equitable access. Climate change and technological development have made it crucial to examine our consumption habits. Freshwater is the most essential resource consumed, yet nearly half of humanity will face water scarcity by 2040 due to climate change and population growth. In this context, AI is used as an experimental tool under controlled supervision, avoiding human biases and generating creative combinations that lead to new and intentional outcomes.
The project proposes a closed-built environment that can hold onto water and shape people’s lives around it. The prototype model will take place in Lebanon, one of the most water-abundant countries in the Middle East, but where 70% of the population is affected by water shortages and many households are not connected to water networks. The proposal is to create a community decentralized water system that involves people on two levels, the individual and community levels, by designing water-conscious living spaces and establishing a circular lifestyle. The system components include surface water collectors, communal water treatment farms, and hybrid water towers. The project focuses on putting the human being at the center of the system, promoting a circular lifestyle where water is continuously circulated and reused, and merging the individual and the community for shared water that becomes part of the architecture instead of a perishable resource.
