30000000. 00 tourists come to marvel at the pullout zones around the grand canal. These stately townhouses are architectural masterpieces built using techniques that are unique worldwide. Then seems to float over the water but in fact the entire city stands on a forest of wooden piles 10000000 logs were driven into the mud contrary to all prevailing rules of urban construction. The architects of the time conquered the lagoon to build one of the worlds most extraordinary cities but the water is a continual threats even today. Then this is palaces withstand the danger posed by the water hole will they gradually sink. History of venice began more than one and a half millennia ago and a large stressor for say in the northern mediterranean on the adriatic coast of italy. Then again on the southern edge of the alps is 50 kilometers long and tension on it is winds. At one time it consisted of brackish water sand and mud and inhospitable place of little interest to anyone. Then in the 1st century coastal inhabitants discovered the lagoon as a refuge. Of the lagoon was a natural fortress it was very difficult for enemies and their sailing ships to find their way around here but being the only the locals knew all the channels so they didnt have to build walls or. Even architectural historians like to not tell a collab you know very little about the 1st wellings built this area. Because imagining there are just a few paintings which give us an idea of what things may have looked like on riata island sound to the core of the settlement with that straw thatched wooden huts it was located on reality with the cost of the only weapon of any of the 1st buildings in ancient venice were built on the most stable areas of the namely out o. Comes from alto which indicates a high location by the river with the name of the district also dura includes the word for solid the early city was built at sites like the 3 that. There is beginnings was still centuries away from the venice of palaces and bridges we know today. The 1st one. Missions lived on small islands separated by boards and. Each island had a small village with a similar structure an essential open space with houses a brown debts and a church in the middle. This is a live look at that explains why there are so many churches and small squares here. Because they were the centers of these all the micro towns treat all. Over the centuries the small islands were linked by bridges which were often built over the water at strange angles. In the 2nd Century Building space gradually became scarce. The problem could only be solved by developing new manmade areas but that was far from easy the better for the decline consists of sediment and much crisscrossed by numerous water courses building ground that was in constant movement. In one of the logically speaking this is neither solid ground nor the sea the ground varies considerably on the one hand almost it is characterized by the sand which the rivers transported from the land. Out in the reeds there are pizza oils of a totally different consistency so venice is built on various layers of different density and that makes for problems why do we see so many slanting church towers. Because they are not standing on just one type of substrate. Venices church tile is leaning to one side but they do not topple over. So how did architects manage to build on this difficult ground without the buildings collapsing. The secret is to be found in simple wooden posts. Hundreds of thousands of them were driven into the bed of the. Depths of the 3 to 8 meters below the surface architects had discovered in layer of sedimentary clay known as cut on told beneath the mud. By driving the posts into this layer of clay a stable Building Foundation was made possible. Civil engineer dino to morning explains the principle was the father will be there in order to stabilize the building substrate wooden piles were driven into the bed in each area. If sufficient piles are used in the areas then soaked with water the mud between the piles becomes compressed and thus more stable than everything outside the area the piles keep everything together and prevent the substrate from being washed out thats the principle behind ground stabilization. In this way the venetians created man made areas on which an entire city could gradually be built. Because architects had discovered that the wooden piles did not cross in the mud. The poles put up underneath the buildings in the mud. That come in and live in oxygen spring environments and none of the microbes that would normally take a wood can get into that. The wood undergoes a process of mineralization it turns rock hard and remains intact for centuries. The most famous the nation buildings were constructed on this building ground of mud and wood. St marks square with its balance how it stands 1100000 wooden pylons. The foundations of the real chip bridge rest 112000 piles. And more than 1000000. 00 wooden piles were driven into the lagoon for the impressive last salute to basilica which is built of marble. There are between 8 and 10 i wouldnt piles of research where meter this entire city stands on an incredible number of. So its rather like the opposite of a forest. Here the troubles are function like roots it is. All in all an estimated 10000000 wouldnt piles have been driven into the liquor a large proportion of what used to be the northern italian forest. Predominant over and large trunks from the surrounding regions was shipped to the lagoon to create extremely expensive building ground. For the foundation which accounted for half the Construction Costs the other half were on the buildings themselves so the section under water was just as expensive as the part we can see. All of them this is 400 plots stand on these unique foundations. From the letter the same tree these architectural masterpieces were built on the constantly moving bed of the lagoon and the sandbags in order to build them the architects had to come up with Something Special because they faced several times at once. It meant providing protection from the rising and falling salt water. Designing buildings that were as light as possible. And building on a moving substrate. The solution they came up with was brilliant they placed a wooden construction on the piles and weighted down with several layers of bricks. On top of this they built a surround of white stone from istria on the adriatic it formed the 1st line of defense against the salt forms. That deals with the interface between the water and that that resisted an infinitely long time because its not probable to the salty water. The resistant is strained stern is unaffected by the rise and fall of the sea levels in. The heights of this protective wall corresponded to the tidal range in this way the water was prevented from coming into contact with the most sensitive load bearing brick walls. For good reason the palaces on the stone base were designed with a maximum of 3 floors. They understood when they were building that they couldnt make it to have a because they knew that it was all relatively friends much into nodes equal talent still compacts and cause the subsidence. Slender columns and large windows in the efforts to build with minimum waves the architects created the special venetian style elegant and graceful. But despite the lightweight construction method by no means had all the challenges been overcome. Yet more there because the movements of the ground on the water here are so variable the buildings themselves could not be too rigid. But here to the venetians came up with Clever Solutions like using special regional Building Materials such as law and mortar. It was used in the construction of the brick walls applied as a cement substitute it has the advantage of remaining flexible. And there sure. Are a long time was probably the most important Construction Material because of its adaptability so it doesnt get as hard as cement architects always wanted to build what they wanted and how they wanted not to be restricted the materials. Trying to remain flexible in the future to me division has done. That also applied to the flooring between the stories. They used wood which is also flexible material. Another trick and should flexibility with the wall and the floor joining. The beams were set in the walls in such a way that they could always move within them. Flexible and subtle venetian buildings are like living organisms which adapt their form to the vagaries of the moving substrate. Today the traces of this constant death taishan are visible in many places in the form of to stores have facades here and there cracks appear inside the buildings as well. Although there have been a couple of instances of subsidence some facades have become distorted and tilt slightly but not one of the venetian palaces has ever collapsed probably maybe grolier but. This is architects constructed the buildings so well that they can even withstand the frequent earthquakes in the region. I remember my father in law telling me about when there was the earthquake in for you only in the 1970 something unveil list. The shocks of that very strongly and where we live as very big windows you know with lead holding the panes of glass and he said that the windows just moved like the sails of a boat and then came back in place not one of those little pains to crack than fell out. There is a well. Well in the courtyard of every plant say. By developing a sophisticated system for collecting rainwater venice is brilliant architects solve the problem of the citys Drinking Water supply. Water flowed through these holes in the ground and into the underground chambers filled with extremely fine sand. After seeping through the sand the clean water then rose again in a well shaft. In this way they also wanted to conduct the water from the gutters into the wells it really was an ingenious system one unparalleled worldwide and all these wells were still in operation in venice until the early 20th century you know. Every square in the city has a well in all its architects created 900. 00. By the late 15th century venice had 170000 inhabitants more than ever before this is he was in its heyday thanks to its powerful fleet of ships built in the queens shipyards venice dominated comus in the mediterranean region. The city built on water was totally in its element like a fish in water. Divinations had created an architectural jewel in the north italian the good. But nature was to turn on them in a dramatic way. As a result of human interference in the green system of channels to facilitate shipping new dangers began to threaten the blossoming influential city. The earth was having a serious effect on the bed of the lagoon and the title water levels. The Natural Balance in the lagoon was under threat. Centuries later venice is still a proud and beautiful city but over the centuries the lagoon changed completely. Shipping traffic and industrial utilization increase dramatically and left their marks in the course of industrialization a 1000 wells was sunk in order to access the groundwater beneath the bed of the libyan. In the 1950 s. Up to 40000 cubic meters of water removed every day. Civil engineer peter t. A teeny describes the consequences for venice. Generate a. Decrease of the pressure. And when the pressure of the creates in the basie so the mentor amazing the basin is these producer compaction off the side of the roads and along the wording of the land surface right now we call it subsidence land subsidence. As a result of this land subsidence venice subsided by 14 centimeters in only 30 years. After a disastrous flood 966. 00 the practice of pumping up the groundwater was discontinued. But the damage to the city is irreparable the last 14 centimeters can never be regained Global Warming and rising sea levels are increasing the threat and have already seen the water rise by a further 10 centimeters. In all the water is now 24. 00 centimeters higher up on the buildings than at the time they were built and that. Left visible traces. Most of the affected areas can be recognized by the green zones on the buildings this is where the water rises and falls with the time. Its not major floods that are causing the greatest damage to the city but to try to change it. From a quill if you so water comes and goes incessantly. With each new time to the salt water is now also reaching the bricks another falling the architect centuries old preventative measure has the ring of history in stone can no longer protect the palaces from the roofs and. The water is always against the brick what and the bricks are very permeable and. Leaving behind the souls which crystallise and as salts crystallize they expanded the body and 12 times and that is a very kind of slow way you can say exploding brick. Is such water is also attacking the line most have between the bricks loosening them and weakening the entire building structure. To provide more stability more and more steel barry is a being a wreck to in the citys canals. Today one in 3 venetian finance is damaged and to need a friend of a ship. And that is not only the result of the daily tide change much about its are an even bigger problem they stir up the water above and below the surface. Level to get us out of the back of the constant boat traffic is very bad for the masonry. The boats propellers churn up the water which edition. Only the roads the wall. Once the masonry has been weakened. The water also impacts the foundations on the ground. And old if you move boats are always travelling past the building. In the back of its the number of boats and the frequency of boat traffic that is threatening the walls. Gets into any cracks in the brickwork and thracians the entire building structure it also uses the compacted earth between the piles the centuries old foundations on which the buildings stand in the attempt to limit the damage the city has introduced a speed limit for water taxis. To launch cruise ships which head for the diggin every day are a further problem. These big ships moves huge volumes aborter you know thats all comedians principle theres still a body of women at the bottom of this its that new and when theyre in their power to them that. Will narrow the focus of the world to level rises and then goes down with the conflict of the ship its a wash water that moves within you know over tens of seconds or minutes and thats very detrimental to the Building Foundations. Subsidence of the lagoon bed the vines of the water level and the waves created by boats and ships mean that venice is trace him from all the scientists. The only way to save the citys valuable buildings is to drain the canals for basic restoration work but that must be done with great care. But in the north the cuticle lot of the work only takes place and drain sections with a maximum length of a 50 meters. Draining the canals leads to a settling of the geological layers and that can result in damage to the neighboring. So a canal can be drained or longer than 3 months. Today more modern methods are also being applied in order to stabilize the walls chemicals are introduced into the nih more to. Make prevent more sick getting into the bricks all these measures are carried out by hand. That is why restoration work in venice is more expensive than elsewhere at present the city has no more than 2000000 euros a year available for preserving its buildings but the actual something needed is 13000000. The water to which the city owes its uniqueness and its wealth is now turning against the venetians. Today one 3rd of the ground floors in venice are uninhabitable. And rising water is threatening the buildings more and more often. Global warming which is resulting in a gradual rise in the sea level will intensify this Development Even more. With the standard good news venice is destined to go under that is not my prediction but that of people who deal professionally with marine and climate issues came out the previous chute that has been down in the and often essentially the same in the in the sea level youve seen the rise my floats in between 20405060 centimeters. The demise of venice no longer seems to be merely a pessimistic scenario. Plan so once again the ingenuity of italian i. Architects and engineers is called for to save the city. Or. The most a project is an elaborate and expensive attempt by the italian authorities to say venice. Concrete foundations weighing many tons have been sunk at all 3 looking him in lets. Get in them all try and flood gates at high walls if these can be raised as far as the water level requirements. There is no doubt that if it is ever completed the most a project will be an engineering masterpiece. But skeptical voices warn against euphoria. In most years say the most a project is important but its not the sole solution its inconsistent i believe to want to protect the city from super floods without at the same time protecting it from decay you know. That is why another idea is to raise the subsided bed of the lagoon and with it the entire city. What sounds like a crazy plan was developed by researchers at the university and neighboring powder where. It looked and was full. On our own ass zoopla shape who you know they are with are of 10 kilometers and we inject the water into it. To say its a let in arkansas system look at these located between 6 and 3rd and want our song me to you know the moon walk on. Raising such a huge area with an entire city on it is an ambitious enterprise which no one has ever attempted before. The plan is to pump 50 liters of salt water per 2nd. The wells and into the substrates over a period of 10 years researchers have calculated the bed of the lagoon could be raised by between 20 and 25 centimeters. The water level in the canals with tensing by the same amount but the plan is not without risks you cannot do it. In the charter style and we dont want full pension and that any any truck sure. And for this reason we have to do to inject the same rate. Raising the bed of the lagoon would recover the last 24. 00 centimeters the project is still in the planning Stage Research is awaiting full funding for the 1st comprehensive tests. To look at possible to save the masterpieces of venetian architecture from the consequences of human made problems. No one wants to see this city go under venice needs visionaries like those who built it people who will think the impossible in order to achieve something magnificent. Place. The coal india. Gives for the gods are harmful for the environment the secret flowers are poisoning indian water supply. A company in mumbai is trying to change that it collects waste and uses it to color textiles. And 13 or. Its on d. W. The power of play. Great for the mind body and soul. But fewer kids spend their time doing it. Developmental psychologists are concerned. Hes playing freely now played out. 6 in 75 minutes on t w. Theres no. Managers to a good day nothing to change you know the banks. And so watch the language of a bank. Speaking the truth global news that matters g. W. Made for mines. Every jo