On World Water Day, projects that have water as the protagonist integrate architecture and landscape in a sustainable way, creating experiences more connected with the natural project
Submitted at Mar 22, 2026, 10:00 AM
(Divulgação/CASACOR)
Water is one of the most powerful elements in architecture. By broadening the relationship between the built and its surroundings, it takes on different roles in residential and institutional projects – at times as a visual protagonist, at others as a climatic and structural solution.
Casa da Cascata, 1935, Mill Run, Pennsylvania, USA - Frank Lloyd Wright (Divulgação/CASACOR)
From the raw force of a waterfall to the delicacy of a reflecting pool, these projects show that water goes beyond function: it builds atmospheres, regulates the projects and connects architecture and nature. On World Water Day (March 22), we gathered emblematic works that explore this dialogue in singular ways, spanning different geographies and design intentions. Check it out!
(Divulgação/CASACOR)
An absolute icon of modern architecture, Fallingwater pushes the integration between building and nature to the limit. Built over a waterfall, it turns the river’s sound and movement into part of the domestic experience, dissolving the boundaries between inside and outside.
(Divulgação/CASACOR)
On the island of Capri, Casa Malaparte commands the cliff, in a dialogue with the sea. Here, water is not touched but contemplated as an infinite horizon — an element that expands the perception of space and reinforces the sculptural character of the architecture.
Casa Gilardi, de Luis Barragán (Barragan Foundation Suíça SOMAAP Arquivo de Fred Sandback/CASACOR)
In Barragán’s work, water takes on a sensory and symbolic dimension. At Casa Gilardi, the indoor pool reflects colors and light, creating a contemplative atmosphere where architecture, art and emotion meet.
Pavilhão Alemão – Mies van der Rohe. (Todamo/Shutterstock/CASACOR)
Built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, the pavilion uses reflecting pools as an extension of architectural space. The liquid surfaces double planes and volumes, reinforcing the lightness and precision of modern design.
Casa Das Canoas, 1951, Rio de Janeiro, Rio, BR - Oscar Niemeyer (Divulgação/CASACOR)
In Rio de Janeiro, Niemeyer’s residence merges with the tropical landscape through curves, vegetation and a reflecting pool that follows the natural topography. Water acts both as an aesthetic element and as a climatic mediator.
(Duc Nguyen/CASACOR)
In this contemporary project, water appears alongside vegetation as an environmental strategy. Reflecting pools and permeable surfaces contribute to thermal comfort and reinforce the presence of landscaping as an essential part of the architecture.
(Nelson Kon/CASACOR)
In downtown São Paulo, water appears as an experience on the building’s rooftop, with a pool that opens to the urban landscape. More than leisure, it redefines the relationship between architecture and the city, offering breathing space and contemplation amid density.
