Drylands

Creation of subterranean terrain through the process of subsidence and implosion.

At this point, I am exploring ways in which the city can move into the earth through accelerating natural processes. Subsidence is one such phenomenon where the earth begins to sink due to the removal of a substance (usually water) from below the earth. Sinkholes are also being explored.

abstract

It is only a matter of time before the west runs out of water. Transporting it over long distances or taking it from underground aquifers has allowed towns to grow and prosper, making south central California one of the most productive agricultural producers in the United States. The problem is that as population grows, the water supply gets increasingly more valuable and expensive to obtain. This project seeks to merge city growth in the city of Fresno with its underground water supply, bringing the two together and imagining a not too distant future where water becomes the center of city life.

context

Any kind of obvious solution to the problem is already being done. If it made economic sense to change something, then it would be happening already. The current water system is very complex and integrated, with many parts to it, and one can't help wondering if improving it would only perpetuate the problem.

The real issue is that such large amounts of people live in a place where water is scarce, with population growth rates projected to rise (58% for Fresno county between 2000 and 2025). Meanwhile, water supply isn't increasing, and in fact is getting less reliable, due to projected atmospheric warming.