Dams of the World

The pyramids of the modern world

The history of humankind is punctuated by great works that have marked our progress on this planet.
To use a bold – but technically plausible – metaphor, we can perhaps say that the monumental dams now in existence throughout the world are the “pyramids of the modern world” – masterpieces of engineering that, rather than honour the memory of an individual, generate the power to drive human life forward and develop our communities.

The images brought together in this book – produced with the assistance of the Rizzoli publishing house – bear striking witness to Webuild’s contribution, over about 120 years, to spreading these concrete symbols of progress across four continents of the world.
To underscore still further a history that has seen us build 318 dams and hydroelectric plants in over 50 countries, we have chosen to focus mainly on the projects with the greatest technical significance and socio-economic impact.
In the majority of cases they are enormous undertakings, which we have tackled not only with a laser focus on efficiency and the exploitation of the latest technologies, but above all with respect for the environment and for the lives and cultures of local people.
As such, we are rightly proud to say – without hint of hyperbole – that Salini Impregilo Group is now the global leader in water infrastructure, with a presence in over 50 countries and more than 92,000 member of staff.

The “Dams of the World” are indeed the “pyramids of the modern world”, generating energy and wealth through the rational use of that most precious of resources: water.
And to borrow the words of Tahar Ben Jellow, who graciously agreed to write the preface to this book, we too believe that water “is time and life; the symbol of all civilization and the mirror of the sky”.
Through our ambitions and our hard work, we at Webuild remain committed to keeping the flames of human progress ever brighter.

Pietro Salini
Chief Executive Officer of Webuild 

Water is Life

Tahar Ben Jelloun 

In the past we went to war over frontiers. Today and tomorrow we will be fighting over water.

Land that is not irrigated is a dead skin, a word not spoken, not heard, a desire stunted in the womb, an ever-present delirium, a meadow without flowers, colours or spirit, a forest without a breath of wind or mystery, a disquieting silence, boundless anguish.
The course of a river determines the sense of time. It also designates the direction of space.

The beauty of a city is inscribed in the course of the water that flows through its centre. It is love and tenderness rendered to the stones and asphalt. We say left bank, right bank to the point that it becomes a vision of the world.

Go to the flipbook and read the full text