CONCEPT

The arch of George IV on Cowgate is leaking constantly. It is the very specific character of this bridge. In addition, Blackford hill is the first evidence of the action of glaciers to be found in Scotland.

To link these two places and accentuate the nature of the bridge, I created a screen of water separated the road. It is acting as a dot matrix displaying the contour of Blackford hill, as well as its profile, using falling drops of water (thanks to a computing program).

The water is in permanence reuse, thanks to a close circuit and pump system.

In the two arches on each side of the main one I created two rain rooms. The water is falling in the shape of the contours of the hill, with light at the top, giving a peaceful, nevertheless mystic atmosphere. The floor would have different materials to make different sounds when the water will touch the floor, creating a new experience of the space.

At the top of the bridge small jet of water are projected along the handrail, encouraging people to go down and have a look at what is happening under it.

PROCESS

First I wanted to recover the all bridge with a material looking like ice. But I was loosing the fact that the bridge is leaking naturally. The idea of the screen of water come up early in the project.

My first idea was to use it as a screen to project images or patterns on it. But the water would have been the support and not the art. I remembered the images I have discovered Japanese water clock a long time ago and reaslised I could use the same technology to draw the patterns I wanted using water, turning leaks into art.

I imagined a circuit of pipe and pump to use as little water as possible.

Inside the room on each sides people have the possibility to walk around it and to seat, thanks to some benches.

On top of the bridge, I was first thinking to have water between the pavement and the road, then mist, but it would have annoyed people. So I decide to have small facinating jet of water along the balustrade, more playful and less humid for the passer-by.