Water management is still the most important function of Amsterdam’s canals – without them, the city would drown. Circulating the water is also vital for sanitary reasons – three times a week, 14 of the 16 existing water locks around Amsterdam close up, so clean water can be pumped in from the big lake IJsselmeer. Taking this into consideration, Margot Krasojevic has designed a water purifying bridge that pumps dirty canal water through a series of steel tubes which filter it and create a current which helps with the sanitation of the canals. The bridge also acts as a reservation for birds, which in recent years have been attracted to the cleaner water in the canals. The bridge also features a coffee shop in an orange water tunnel which has inner reinforced etched glass panels that give the feeling of being underwater. The entire scheme is planned for a piece of reclaimed land – a polder which also allows for people to sunbathe and relax, like a reclaimed urban beach.
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