A water tower
is an elevated structure supporting a watertank constructed at a height
sufficient to pressurize a water supply system for the distribution of
potable water. Many water towers were constructed during the Industrial
Revolution; some are now considered architectural landmarks and
monuments, and may not be demolished. Some are converted to apartments
or exclusive penthouses.
1. House in the Clouds, UK
The House in the Clouds
is a water tower at Thorpeness, Suffolk, UK. It was built in 1923 to
receive water pumped from Thorpeness Windmill and was designed to
improve the looks of the water tower, disguising its tank with the
appearance of a weatherboarded building more in keeping with
Thorpeness's mock-Tudor and Jacobean style, except seeming to float
above the trees.
In 1977 the water tower
was made redundant by a mains water supply to the village, and
additional living space was created. In 1979 the main water tank was
removed to fully convert the building into a house. The building
currently has five bedrooms and three bathrooms; it contains a total of 68 steps from top to bottom and is around 70ft (21m) high. [link, map]
2. Midrand Water Tower, South Africa
At 6.5 megalitres it is
the largest water tower in the southern hemisphere. Created of
post-tensioned concrete, the cone on a 23 ft. (4 m.) diameter stem with a
33 ft. (10 m.) cube mass concrete base.
The cone meets the stem
at the surface of a pond, giving a floating effect to the massive
concrete form. A spiral staircase runs up the centre like a straw in a
glass. Provisions were made for a revolving restaurant at the top of the tower. [link]
3. Old Water Tower in Landskrona, Sweden
The Old Water Tower lies
at the highest point in the town and is a key local landmark. The
attractive red brick building was designed by the architect Fredrik
Sundbärg. It was completed in 1903.
The water tower was in
full operation by 1904, ensuring that Landskrona received a pressurised
water supply for the the first time in its history. [link, map]
4. Ciechanow Water Tower, Poland
The Ciechanow Water Tower in
Poland is a hyperboloid structure, using hyperboloid geometry which
maximizes structural strength with a minimum of material. The Ciechanow
Water Tower was built in 1972 by Jerzy Michal Boguslawsk. There are
plans to open a restaurant and observation platform at the top of the
tower, but the object is currently out of use. [link]
5. Palić Water Tower, Serbia
This beautiful water tower is located in the town of Palic and close to the lake of the same name.
Precisely, Water Tower
is in the Great park ( between lake and town) which represents a unique
ambient, where natural values and architectural heritage make an overall
harmony.
The Water Tower, now the symbol of Palic, was built at the beginning of the 20th century as a multipurpose facility: a water tower, gate of the resort and a tram station. This building was designed in Hungarian art nouveau style. [map]
....
6. Huntington Beach Water Tower, USA
This Californian water
tower was built in the 19th century to provide water for steam engines.
It operated all the way until 1974, and in the 80s it was converted to a
home by removing the tank, converting it at ground level and then
lifting it back up into place.
It has served as a family home at times since then, but mostly it has been an opulent vacation rental.
Visitors travel up four stories on the elevator to reach the
three-story living space, then get to enjoy unprecedented views of
several beaches, the San Bernadino Mountains and the surrounding
cities. The tower stands 87 feet (27m) tall, on 21 wooden legs
reinforced with steel at the joints, and is 30 feet (9m) in diameter. [link]
7. Haukilahti Water Tower, Finland
The Haukilahti water tower is
located in Haukilahti in southern Espoo, Finland. The water tower was
built in 1968 and owned by the Espoo waterworks. The diameter of the
tower is 45.3 m (149 ft) and its volume is 4000 m³ (5,230 yds³). The height of the tower is 45.3 m (149 ft) and from sea level 76.3 m (250 ft).
In the top part of the water tower is a restaurant called Haikaranpesä ("Stork's nest"). It is a very popular restaurant and many businessmen and tourists go there to eat. [link, map]
8. North Point Water Tower, USA
The North Point Water Tower is located in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in
1973. This 175 ft (53m) Victorian Gothic Building, designed by Charles
A. Gombert and made of cut Niagara limestone from Wauwatosa, houses a
circular wrought iron standpipe 120 feet (37m) high and four feet in
diameter. [link, map]
9. Rostock Water Tower, Germany
Here stand since 1903 a
water tower made of bricks in pattern style with seven stepped gables
and blind windows, all rest on a base of granite. It is 60 meter (197
ft) high building, with a diameter of 18 meters (59 ft) in the base.
The tower is out of service since 1959. After a restoration the tower is now a historic building and house a city museum warehouse, and in the ground floor also a meeting-place for children and disables. [link, map]
10. Compton Hill Water Tower, USA
The Compton Hill Water Tower is located in St. Louis.
The 179-foot (55 m) tower was built to disguise a 6-foot (1.8 m)
diameter, 130-foot (40 m) tall standpipe in its interior. Occasionally,
the observation deck at the top of the water tower is opened to the
public, allowing visitors to see 360-degree panoramic views of the city.
The Compton Hill Water Tower was declared a city landmark in 1966 and
added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. [link, map]
11. Garching Water Tower, Germany
The water tower (located in Garching near Munich), with a quadratic base on 5,4 meter (18m), was built in reinforced concrete. This building is 26 meters (85 ft) high. The architect is unknown, and the tower was designed in 1909 and was finished in December 1911.
Water tower is out of
service since 1961. The building is protected since 1981 as an
industrial heritage, and was restored in 1988. [link]
12. Svaneke Water Tower, Danmark
The Svaneke Water Tower in the small town of Svaneke on the Danish island of Bornholm was designed by award-winning architect Jørn Utzon
and completed in 1952. It was the first successful project of the
architect who would later design the Sydney Opera House. The
surprisingly shaped water tower was inspired by the old sea marks used
for assisting the navigation of ships at sea.
The pyramidal water tank
is supported by three slender ferro-concrete legs which meet at the top
of the tower. The centrally placed steps, also made of concrete, wind
up elegantly from the ground. The water tower was taken out of service
in 1988 when alterations to the water supply system were introduced.
Since 1990, it has been a listed building (by Heritage Agency of
Denmark). [link, map]
13. Wrocław Water Tower, Poland
This historic Wrocław water tower is situated in Borek, the district of Krzyki that is the southern borough of Wrocław, Poland. The water tower in Wrocław was designed by Karl Klimm, a reputed local architect.
The tower is 63 meters
(207 ft) high. It was equipped with an electric lift from the very
beginning. From June 1906 the lift allowed people to reach an
observation deck situated at a height of 42 meters (138 ft), from which
one could admire the vista of Wrocław and its surroundings. In 1995 the
tower was purchased from the city by the Stephan Elektronik Investment
Company. The building was rejuvenated and started its new life as a stylish restaurant complex. [link, map]
14. Kizuminami Water Tower, Japan
Built in 1999 at Kizu, south of Kyoto,
this 129-foot-high water tower (47 meters) holds enough water to supply
16,000 people. The cylindrical design draws its inspiration from
bamboo, which is extremely common in the region. [link]
