Place - Betsy Damon, The Living Water Garden, 1998 - by Livia

The Living Water Garden 1998 -- Betsy Damon

What is “The Living Water Garden”?
-a public theme park - WATER
- 1st theme park is located in
Chengdu, Sichuan
- 24,000 square meter
- an organic system for water
purification
- an educational centre
-“Excellence on the Waterfront” Award.

Background
•Serious pollution problem of Fu-Nan River
in Chengdu
--> the urban development eg, waste water
from factories
•People in Chengdu start to realize the pollution problem
--> to seek help from Betsy Damon

How can the park make water clean?

-Fish shape
-Water flow through the fish
-->a process in cleaning water

The Process of cleaning water

1.pumped water from Fu-Nan River

2.Anaerobic Setting Pond
-->separete the solid from water
-->decompose organism
-->porate off carbon dioxide

3. Flowforms
--> sculpture in shape of petals
--> breaking water into tiny drops and mix with air

--> increasing its “aliveness”

4.A/O Pond
--> microogranisms and plants function to purify the dirty water.

5.Constructed wetlands
--> 6 plants pond

--> core of the entire purifing system

--> plants absorb pollutants and transform pollutants into nutrients

6. Fish Pond
--> dirty matter settle out, oxidized and decomposed.

--> fish=living monitor

7. Fountain Recreation Area
--> the clean water people can play, touch and wade in

8. Water back to Fu-Nan River

Why the park can be an art work?

Superficial:
•Esthetics of architecture
--> fish shape park
--> different forms, eg. Square, circle,…..
--> overall arrangement

• Sculptures
--> different form of sculpture, eg. shape of petals

The significant meanings under the art work

•The fish shape of the park
--> relation between fish and water
--> symbol of regeneration à regeneration of water

•The meaning of WATER

--> water forms the spiritual basis of life
--> initial of the World

• Educational
--> to arouse the sense in keeping water clean

• Connecting people and nature
--> people can touch clean water

•To recall memories of people
--> clear water 35 years ago
--> legends about washing silk story

Artist:
BETSY DAMON – Keepers of the Waters

-an environmental activist
-specializing in water restoration, remediation and education
-the founder of Keepers of the Waters

BETSY DAMON’s other works
•Sounds of Water Fountain in Redding, California
--> multi-functional water feature
--> metaphor for the mountains and earth

“Water is the foundation of life, the connective might of the universe. Therefore sustaining the water systems must be the foundation of planning and development.” - Betsy Damon

Conclusion
•a beautiful public park

--> everyone can play in there

--> public area

•arouse our sense to keep water clean
--> water and our life
--> Water is the foundation of life

•The garden not only important for Chengdu, Sichuan, but the whole wold.