©
pontoatelier
Rafael Gamo
Level 1500m, its the heights level where lies the island’s largest plateau , with 7 km in length and 6 km in width.
It is call Paul da Serra, that means Paul = Flooded land, during periods of intense rainfall, 25 km² of flat land transforms into a lagoon. It is a natural container for water, which is later absorbed by the earth and redirected into other underground pathways.
Usually the capture of underground water occurs through large-diameter horizontal perforations with galleries and tunnels, and as well as the utilization of the flow from numerous springs, through a system of more than 200 levadas ( narrow channels, excavated in the rock and lined with masonry) that encircle the island, collecting and transporting water over a total length of more than 2000 km.
Also because the heigh level and its frequent exposure to fog and wind, its in fact a major contributor to this process of collation water by the name of hidden Precipitation.
In that way the typologies that we design as water spaces, became new underground forms, voids that contain water, represented in varied and infinite ways of designing water and with water.
An unique piece represents the common ground of the the highest level in a model with 80cm width x 80cm length x 07cm height. The material that we used is a “recipe” of local materials as such; volcanic sand, basalt stone, heather (Erica arbor L.) and others combined with concrete which is the only material produced on the island.
It show us all the voids /subtraction/ negatives that actually are not empty because it will be filled not with a static and permanent mater but instead with a natural and liquid mater = Water. Transforming in natural way all this voids, wholes and negatives in different times of the day, months and sazonal times with at diferente levels contributing for this great underground water system.
In a natural way of being, showing us the pulse of the earth.
It is call Paul da Serra, that means Paul = Flooded land, during periods of intense rainfall, 25 km² of flat land transforms into a lagoon. It is a natural container for water, which is later absorbed by the earth and redirected into other underground pathways.
Usually the capture of underground water occurs through large-diameter horizontal perforations with galleries and tunnels, and as well as the utilization of the flow from numerous springs, through a system of more than 200 levadas ( narrow channels, excavated in the rock and lined with masonry) that encircle the island, collecting and transporting water over a total length of more than 2000 km.
Also because the heigh level and its frequent exposure to fog and wind, its in fact a major contributor to this process of collation water by the name of hidden Precipitation.
In that way the typologies that we design as water spaces, became new underground forms, voids that contain water, represented in varied and infinite ways of designing water and with water.
An unique piece represents the common ground of the the highest level in a model with 80cm width x 80cm length x 07cm height. The material that we used is a “recipe” of local materials as such; volcanic sand, basalt stone, heather (Erica arbor L.) and others combined with concrete which is the only material produced on the island.
It show us all the voids /subtraction/ negatives that actually are not empty because it will be filled not with a static and permanent mater but instead with a natural and liquid mater = Water. Transforming in natural way all this voids, wholes and negatives in different times of the day, months and sazonal times with at diferente levels contributing for this great underground water system.
In a natural way of being, showing us the pulse of the earth.