WATER: CURSE OR BLESSING!?
Through a series of six Lab Talks dedicated to building future resilience, Aedes seeks to identify and discuss sustainable water-related architectural and urban development projects that also address the (re)establishment of socio-economic coherence through conscious water management.
Image: Shutterstock
Date: 2023–2025
Introduction
Aedes’ international, interdisciplinary programme aims to establish new planning processes and structures related to water use and distribution in the built environment. Through a series of six Lab Talks dedicated to building future resilience, Aedes seeks to identify and discuss sustainable water-related architectural and urban development projects that also address the (re)establishment of socio-economic coherence through conscious water management.
Interdisciplinary experts explore the role of water in climate change mitigation — from reducing CO2 emissions and ecological footprints to adaptation and resilience in urban and national contexts, and recognising water as a common good from source to sea. Tackling the climate crisis and ensuring a fairer distribution of resources for all requires a global rethinking of politics and spatial planning. This involves moving away from one-sided, isolated and sectoral strategies, and adopting integrative, comprehensive, circular and sustainable approaches. As an element, resource and infrastructure, water has a profound impact on the natural, built and living environments. In Water: Curse or Blessing!?, architects and planners engage in innovative knowledge exchange with experts from environmental research, science and politics, deriving insights for their work processes, planning, implementation and building projects.
Events
#1 We Want Water!, 23 November 2023
This kick-off Lab Talk in the series examines the entire water cycle and strategies for building future resilience. It aims to identify and explore solution-driven, sustainable water-related architectural and urban development projects. Taking a holistic approach, water is viewed as a critical new value —a n opportunity for transformation, as well as both a vital resource and an existential threat. The talk also sets the stage for the focal points of the upcoming sessions in the series.
#2 Urban Climate Impacts, 21 March 2024
The second Lab Talk explores the link between water, building and climate adaptation in cities facing droughts, floods, and extreme rainfall. The discussion covers both city-wide and neighbourhood-level measures, as well as potential “water-sensitive” building methods and typologies that contribute to CO2 reduction. Strategies for enhancing urban resilience and preparedness are also addressed.
#3 Actors, Approaches and Processes in the Global South, 11 November 2024
The third Lab Talk focuses on integrating water into planning processes using interdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder approaches, with insights from the PolyUrbanWaters project test sites in Southeast Asia.
#4 Water Infrastructures, 7 February 2025
The fourth Lab Talk in the series focuses on how to deal with urban water infrastructures in the wake of changing conditions for our cities. Focusing on water in urban spaces, invited experts will discuss examples from river delta regions in China and Europe, exploring architectural research and practice.
#5 Materials, Energy, Technology, 20 March 2025
The fifth Lab Talk explores the relationship between water, materials, building and technological requirements. Building with new or newly interpreted materials offers significant potential to support mitigation and adaptation strategies for water management, particularly within the framework of a circular economy.
#6 Water and Economy, 18 June 2025
The sixth Lab Talk explores the connection between water, building and the economy, highlighting how spatial planning and the economic sector can contribute to future water resilience. The discussion focusses on the role of water in the built environment amidst societal, ecological and economic transformations. This includes rethinking how buildings and developments are valued and assessed in the context of floods, droughts and other water-related risks, with implications for insurance, investments and adaptation models.
Aedes Theme
In collaboration with:
Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, Osnabrück
The Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, The Hague
The OBEL Award, Copenhagen
Transsolar, Stuttgart
PolyUrbanWaters Research Project
GBA Lab, Shenzhen
