CONCEPT- THE LOTUS FLOWER

 Concept is a valuable,creative focus that is sometimes necessary to work with. It often helps there to be a motive behind a design, a driving force that influences shapes and form but also function. Throughout the journey of inventing the Alney wetland, I found myself often struggling with this conceptual term. 

The main source of inspiration for me has been water and ecology from the start, the intent was to create an eco park that highlights the beauty and power of a landscape abundant with water. But as it turned out to be a quiet general and broad term, narrowing it down to a more focused thematic source of inspiration has been a long journey of experimenting with countless possible ones, from ''views'' to just ''water'', ''reflection'' and ultimately ''the lotus flower''.

The lotus flower has always had a meaning for me personally, so I'm surprised I haven't thought about it sooner. As someone who's roots of origin are from Bangladesh, a country that is mainly composed of wetlands, I first handily  had the amazing opportunity to experience the monsoon seasons during which  Lotus flowers are commonly found and greatly decorate miles and miles of areas just covered in water.

The lotus flower, is in fact also our national flower. A symbol of the country's natural beauty but also of rebirth, solidity and strength, which I believe totally resonate with the idea of constructing a flood resilient site for Alney Island. It also holds a profound meaning in religion and spirituality, Hinduism for example narrates that gods and goddesses sat on lotus thrones whilst Buddhism believes that the Buddha appeared on top of a floating lotus, and his footsteps on Earth left lotus blossoms. So as well as strenght, it appears to be symbolizing stability in a non walkable surface, such as water, which can be reinterpreted in design as the solid structure, in our landscape.