Cleaning the polluted Ganga River through a national network of localized infrastructures

The building addresses a network of water pollution by creating a prototype which forms a catalyst for cleaning the whole river. By implementing a network of rehabilitation infrastructures along the river at all polluting tributaries, a 5,000 km-long infrastructural system, which adapts to various city conditions, is created. The sanctuary is located at the junction of the Assi tributary, which carries the waste of 500,000 people into the Ganga River in Varanasi. This water is treated in an omni-processor which turns waste water into potable water. River water is filtered through a series of charcoal and plant gabian walls and enters a “safe-water” stream along the river’s edge. Scientific research facilities experiment with, monitor and test cleaning technologies.

Responding to the heritage, vernacular, sacred and ecological conditions of Varanasi

The built form fits into the heritage fabric of the majestic millennia-old stepped promenade of the city by mimicking its sacred form. This respects Varanasi’s aesthetic quality and creates a gentle unimposing infrastructure into an old sacred city. The use of local sandstone and clay-brick masonry construction respects the materiality of the city and gives opportunity to engage local builders. The annual monsoon causes the water level on the banks to rise and fall. The building responds to the changing conditions both spatially and systematically. Floating wetlands are accessible year-round when the building becomes submerged. The wetlands and gabians gain ecological efficiency over time as plants grow in them. The building ages in a way that allows it to merge into the heritage.

Facilitating the daily water rituals and needs of the city

A central focus is the daily water needs of the city and its people. The site includes a number of treated water bodies that facilitate safe and convenient consumption and the practical, recreational and ritual uses of water. Floating charcoal wetland lavoirs allow people to wash clothes without polluting the river. Wetland pools can be used for swimming as well as ritual bathing. The bathhouses use water treated by the research facility, heated through the omni-processor plant. Safe, respectful spaces for women are created, addressing existing vulnerabilities. Scientific research facilities house various cleaning technologies, such as reverse osmosis and UV treatment facilities. Additionally, it houses a simulator room to develop other prototype infrastructures on the river’s edge.