When we first went to Onex, we noticed a new park with a large green area and a vegetable garden, which is tended and watered by the residents of the building next door. We wanted to create a rainwater harvesting system to give the inhabitants the possibility to use it for their plants, instead of or in addition to drinking water.
We were inspired by the compluvium system of the “domus Romana”, which is a water collection system through the roof. This water is directed through a hole and is collected in a basin on the ground, the impluvium, where it is stored. We have therefore taken up this concept with waterproof fabric held on the roof of our structure. The orientation of the roof is rotated by 45 degrees to allow the 4 corners to be taken up in an orthogonal manner in the nodes of the protostructure.
The first basin allows the water to fall directly into it, which can be drawn from with a watering can for example. Then two basins connected by a slit allow the additional water to be collected during intense summer showers, to refresh the place and where you can play or put your feet. When there is less water, our structure remains a cool spot thanks to the shade of the roof.
We are revitalising the entrance to this park to create a central, multi-purpose meeting and entertainment space for young and old. It links the remote green space, the garden and the empty parking spaces.
It allows tenants to use sustainable water for their vegetable garden, restaurant customers to take a nap in the shade after lunch and children to play in the water pools after school on a sunny day.