March 22 is World Water Day, an annual international celebration launched and organized by the United Nations. The goal of the day is to raise awareness about a wide range of water-based issues from around the world. This year’s theme is “Nature From Water”, which invites everyone to think about how nature can provide solutions to the water challenges we face today.

To celebrate World Water Day this year, we’ve rounded up 20 of our favorite projects that utilize water as a central design feature. Whether it be Zumthor's Thermal Vals or Chritso and Jeanne-Claude's Floating Piers, water has been playing an important role in architectural design and in demarcating the boundaries of nature against our built environment.

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Speaking to the Portuguese communication agency Lusa, Álvaro Siza Vieira, winner of the 2015 Building of the Year Awards' office category, stated that the international award is a "strong incentive" to continue working in the architectural field.

Siza's awarded building – named The Building on the Water – is located in Huai'na, Jiangsu Province (China), and was designed together with Portuguese architect Carlos Castanheira for the company Shihlien Chemical Industrial Jiangsu Co.

Showing gratitude for the acknowledgement, Siza highlighted that the building process went as planned, without any drawbacks, and client Mr. Por-Shih Lin contributed a lot with the project. "I use to say the building's owner is the first architect and without his effort it's nearly impossible to get satisfying results," said Siza, the first Portuguese Pritzker laureate. 

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• Architects

  Carlos Castanheira

• Location

  Valbom, Portugal

• Category

  Houses

• Architect in Charge

  Carlos Castanheira & Clara Bastai, Arqtos Lda.

• Design Team

  Duarte Rodrigues, Sofia Reis, Demis Lopes, Barbara Guedes, Isabel Ribeiro, Bruno André, Luís Calheiros, João Figueiredo

• Project Year

  2005

• Photographs

  Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

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• Architects

  Carlos Castanheira

• Location

  Baião, Portugal

• Category

  Renovation

• Architect in Charge

  Carlos Castanheira & Clara Bastai, Arqtos Lda.

• Design Team

  Luís Reis, Isabel Norton, Eliana Sousa, Patrícia Carvalho, João Figueiredo, Susana Oliveira

• Project Year

  2012

• Photographs

  Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

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• Architects

  Carlos Castanheira

• Location

  5070-272 Favaios, Portugal

• Category

  Winery

• Architect in Charge

  Carlos Castanheira & Clara Bastai, Arqtos Lda.

• Design Team

  Orlando Sousa, Sérgio Barbosa

• Project Year

  2013

• Photographs

  Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

After inaugurating his first building in China – “The Building on the Water” – Álvaro Siza has just announced his second project in the country, again in collaboration with Portuguese architect Carlos Castanheira. This time the two architects will develop a museum for Hangzhou Art Academy.

The new museum - which will have approximately 15,000 sqm, a total area similar to that of Serralves Foundation building – will host an important collection of pieces from the famous German school of arts and design, Bauhaus, founded by Walter Gropius in 1919.

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• Architects

  Carlos Castanheira

• Location

  Madalena, Portugal

• Category

  Houses

• Architect in Charge

  Carlos Castanheira & Clara Bastai, Arqtos Lda.

• Design Team

  Orlando Sousa, Vasco Melo, Ricardo Leite, Sofia Costa Reis, Demis Lopes, Luís Calheiros, João Figueiredo

• Project Year

  2008

• Photographs

  Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

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• Architects

  Carlos Castanheira

• Location

  Avenal, Portugal

• Category

  Houses

• Architect in Charge

  Carlos Castanheira & Clara Bastai, Arqtos Lda

• Design Team

  Hellen van het hart, Sofia Reis, Duarte Rodrigues, Demis Lopes, Luís Calheiros

• Project Year

  2004

• Photographs

  Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

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• Architects

  Álvaro Siza, Carlos Castanheira

• Location

  Huai'an, Jiangsu, China

• Category

  Office buildings

• Architects in Charge

  Álvaro Siza e Carlos Castanheira

• Portugal’s Office

  CC&CB - Arquitectos Lda.

• Principals in charge

  1st phase (preliminary project) : Pedro Carvalho, Luís Reis. 2st phase (execution project) : Luís Reis

• Collaborators

  Diana Vasconcelos, Susana Oliveira, Elisabete Queirós, Orlando Sousa, Rita Ferreira, João Figueiredo, Caitriona, Carolina Leite, Anand Sonecha.

• Local Permit Architects and Engineers

  United Architects & Engineers Co., Ltda

• Project management & construction supervision

  Stephen Wang, Richard Wang, Chiou-Huei Lin (WZWX Architecture Group)

• 3d Models/Renders

  Francesco Sechi, João Figueiredo, Pedro Afonso, José Soares

• Creative Integration Consultant

  Xue Xue Institute, Xue Xue Foundation

• Engineering

  Shanghai Qingya Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Co. (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, telecommunications and security installation) RFR Shanghai (Stuctural review) Geberit China (Water drainage)

• Construction company

  Zhejiang Urban Construction Group

• Consultants

  HDP – Paulo Fidalgo (Structure) GET – Raul Bessa (Mechanical) GPIC – Alexandre Martins (Lighting) SIKA – Helena Beleza (Waterproofing of the concrete construction)

• Client

  Por-Shih Lin, Diretor da Shihlien Chemical Industrial (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd.

• Project Area

  11000 sqm

• Project Year

  2014

We are excited to share these exclusive photos taken by Fernando Guerra | FG+SG of Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza’s first project in China: The Building on the Water.

Evoking the image of a dragon perched elegantly on water, the contours of the building seem to move gently in a perfect synergy between local symbolism and the subtle elements of Siza. Snaking around, the form escapes formal convention, emerging as an autonomous entity that contrasts with the orthogonal form of the factory complex. The delicate transition geometry of curves and bridges that connect the different spaces and pavements makes this project one of the most striking examples of Siza’s distinctive architecture. 

Through different shades, reflections and his unmatched composition of light and shadows, Fernando Guerra’s striking images show a poetic scene and the perfect relationship between the building and its environment. We can envision the changes and transitions that the white concrete building goes through as a result of its contact with the water throughout the day.

Read on after the break to see the exclusive images...

Today, Pritzker Prize-winning architect Álvaro Siza and architect Carlos Castanheira will inaugurate the Taifong Golf Club, in Changhua, Taiwan.

The two Portuguese architects began the recently-completed project in 2009. The clubhouse includes spaces for recreational and cultural events and activities. The building demonstrates a rich relationship between the landscape and local culture.

Architects: Álvaro Siza and Carlos Castanheira
Local Partner | Project Management and Construction Supervision: Ho+Hou Studio Architects and Studio Base Architects
Images of the project—kindly shared with us by architecture photographer Fernando Guerra | FG+SG—can be seen after the break.

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