The Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, CA

This building takes on the "River of Life" water feature, which is really just a simple runnel that runs through the central outdoor space. It is interesting how stagnant water begins to define the space in a new way I've never seen before

https://www.salk.edu/about/history-of-salk/

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How do water features create a larger sense of place within urban fabrics? Ever gaze upon a water feature and wonder, what does it all this mean within the city context? To a more specific point, does it tie in to the Critical Regionalism of culture, or a wider sense of Universal Modernism? In a way, water features can become a "fourth dimension" to architecture that can tie large urban fabrics together. It can aid in urban heat island effects environmentally, draw together people to create triangulation within communities, draw significance from the historical context, help to build communities, and contains an element of physical attractivity. Diagrammatic Representation of Water Features creating a Sense of Place The Historical, Cultural, and Environmental Context of a Water Feature Historically, water features were meant to convey a deep sense of meaning through symbolism and cultural ties (whether literal or figurative). For ins...

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