I have studied water throughout my Environmental Engineering education, and am currently in need of a good water filter at my house to remove chlorine, fluoride, and lead from Boulder tap water (City of Boulder Drinking Water Report, 2024), as well as potentially PFAS. For my final project I would like to incorporate my knowledge of filters to create a beautiful activated carbon based drinking water filter. For the aesthetic, I want to it to be high quality and beautiful, with Tibetan style design on the base.
I used SketchUp to make a very rough rendering of what I am thinking of making. The water-holding vessel would be a 3-gallon glass jug, with an inlet and outlet hose entering through the top of the jug. This design alleviates the need to penetrate through the glass, and reduces the amount of waterproofing required.
The pipes, fittings, and spout will be one major part of the this project, and making the base will be the other major part of this project. The base is important as it raises the jug to a usable level so that you can get a bottle under the spout while maintaining hydraulic head. I also plan to use the base as a point of structural stability for the pipe and spout. I want to cut out and decorate the base using a laser cutter and taking inspiration from Tibetan designs, as seen below.
As I see it, the Tibetan Aesthetic is mainly characterised by bold colors and textures, repeating patterns, with some swooping naturalistic details (like the golden decorations on the legs of the Tibetan furniture above). I think it could be really beautiful to incorporate this aesthetic into this project, especially as a beautiful base could turn a water filter into a little exhibit in the kitchen.
I’m thinking of making the base out of craft wood, but I might need a couple of layers to achieve the desired structural stability. I will also have to consider waterproofing all the base material I use, especially on the cut edges of the wood boards. I am also considering making the base a box instead of the ‘cross’, although I don’t know if it would look good. I think the base could look very good as a hexagon, but bevelled cuts are beyond the scope of non-speciality laser cutters, so I would have to bevel the edges using a router or rasp by hand. I’m not sure if I want to take that on so I plan to set everything up and begin with a simple base before iterating the base for aesthetics.
Sources:
Featured Image: https://www.etsy.com/listing/693504602/hand-woven-traditional-tibetan-rugs
Loucks, D. P., & van Beek, E. (2017). Water resource systems planning and management: An introduction to methods, models, and applications. Springer.
https://www.freepik.com/premium-vector/asian-red-knots-chinese-korean-japanese-embellishment-vector-set-decorative-corners-tibetan-eternal-buddhism-spirituality-borders-feng-shui-lucky-traditional-elements-geometric-ornament-design_18236837.htm
https://bouldercolorado.gov/media/1620/download?inline=
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6 Comments. Leave new
Hi Jules, this is a really interesting project. I wasn’t familiar with the things being left unfiltered in the tap water here, so I’m glad you’re sharing what you know about it! Does your kitchen also have bold colors and textures you’re trying to integrate with your design, or are you trying to experiment a little and make it stand out more? Also, what inspired you to choose the Tibetan aesthetic? Have you traveled to Tibet in the past?
Hi Eric, good questions! My kitchen doesn’t have bold color and textures, and so I’m trying to create something that stands out and adds to the beauty of the space. I’m was originally drawn to the Tibetan aesthetic because I have learned some about Tibet Buddhism and am really drawn to it. I have not travelled there, the Chinese are very strict about travel in Tibet. The unending knot symbolizes the interconnectedness of all beings and the endless cycle of life.
Hi Jules, this is a super cool idea and I really like your choice in aesthetic. The Tibetan design aesthetic has really interesting patterns and I really like the different knots they use in their designs. I also think it is also super cool that you are making something that cleans the Boulder water! How does this process actually work? Looking forward to seeing your project come together!
Hi Cole, I love this question. Activated carbon is made by treating a carbon material (wood, coal, coconut husks..) with hot steam and pressure which creates millions of microscopic pores in the material. The countless microscopic pores make one gram of activated carbon have a surface area of over 32,000 square feet! Since adsorption is proportional to surface area, and the surface area is so large, activated carbon is highly effective at removing trace contaminants.
Hi Jules! This is such a unique and creative project, while also being very usable in your everyday life. I like the concept of having a water filter but still making it look artistic as you will be seeing it constantly. I had not heard about the chemicals and contaminants in the water here, so I will definitely be looking into this more. Do you plan to have decorations on just the base or will they be part of the water jug too? I look forward to seeing your plans and progress in the future!
Hi Cecelia, yes it’s definitely a good idea to look into the water you drink! I thought about adding decorations to the water jug but I don’t know how I would attach things to glass, I’m afraid hot glue would look tacky… I envision needing to do maintenance on the filter, maybe cleaning the jug, and eventually replacing the activated carbon, and so I want to design it to be easily taken apart. For this reason I think I will just keep the water jug as is and only decorate the base. I hope to make the functional components add to the decorative appeal.