Fog-catchers are specifically designed structures that include a series of meshes and serve to catch water droplets from fog or cloud masses that pass through them. The trapped water droplets are redirected by gravity to reservoirs, where the liquid element is accumulated for later reuse. Fog-catchers are especially effective in wet night environments. They are mainly used in agriculture, with the strictly functional purpose of facilitating irrigation.
Factors such as air humidity, dew point, wind speed and direction, amongst others, determine the proper functioning of fog-catchers. On average, they can capture 3 to 5 L/day/m², depending on the factors mentioned above and the environmental conditions, as well as their location and structure.
At Amusement Logic we propose a design to use these devices and integrate them, as part of the urban furniture, in the public spaces of cities. Our proposal takes the form of a design that combines the benefits of water collection through the fog-catchers, with those of shade and aesthetics. To this end, we have planned a series of metal structures braced with textile sheets that serve both as fog-catchers and as a shading system for public spaces.
By Juan Guardiola Cutillas, Senior Architect in the Architecture Department of Amusement Logic
