TIDAL 94 | Alex Collins

Tidal 94 will supply 100% of Santa Monica’s water using 0 watts of electricity. Producing this water locally saves 18,000 Mega-watt hours per year in transportation alone; this figure does not include the colossal energy and resource requirements for construction and upkeep of this water delivery infrastructure. 2,000 tons of sea salt will be produced daily as a result of the desalinating process. Santa Monica will be a water independent desert city.
Architect: Alex Collins
Team Member:  Kyle Pollack, Ben Llewellyn, Dylan Tiss
Country: United States 

Tidal 94 harnesses these forces to create drinking water from the ocean. The large floats rise and lower with the fluctuating tides, pumping seawater through our desalinating process. The tidal pump and cylinder system act as a large syringe; when the tide goes out and the floats drop, suction is created in the cylinders on the deck. This suction pulls water from the sub-sand seawater intake, which is buried in the sandy ocean bottom, away from the foundation of our structure. This water is drawn up and fills the cylinders until the tide slacks. As the tide comes in, pressure is created as the ocean pushes up on our large, buoyant floats. This immense pressure forces the water that has filled the cylinders through a Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) filtration system. The resulting fresh water is directed towards our storage tank, and the salty brine is further processed. The force utilized in this system is slow, methodical, and incredibly powerful.

Rather than disposing of excess salt brine, Tidal 94 harvests sea salt from the ocean. The salty brine that results from the reverse osmosis process is directed to the evaporation tents. The brine fills a large shallow dish on the bottom of the structure; these tents have a series of fresnel lenses that focus the suns’ rays throughout the day. This focused sun energy heats the brine and brings it to a boil, water vapor is released into the enclosed tent and salt is left in the dish. The water vapor condenses and collects, dripping towards the cooler collection area. The results of this process are fresh drinking water, and edible sea salt.
Tidal 94 is an extension of the axis created by Santa Monica Boulevard and the current pier. Traditional industry is fenced off and distinctly separate from the cities they supply. By bringing water generation into the city and integrating it into daily life, people will come to understand the metrics of power and learn to gauge their own use. The modular system allows for further expansion on the county and even state level.

Tidal 94 is a revolutionary way to create fresh drinking water with minimal environmental impacts. Local water production will reduce stress on regional ecosystems and eliminate expensive transportation. Production of sea salt takes a negative externality and turns it into a resource. The form and spectacle of infrastructure engages the public in localized water production. Tidal 94 is our best option for a water independent future in the desert.