Floods, River Dynamics and Climate Change in Urban Public Space

Cities & Rivers, Energy and sustainability, Essay, Iñaki Alday, Middle Density, Politics and economics, Southern Coexistences, Territory and mobility, Urban Paradigms.

Active Public Spaces, Architecture & Nature, City challenge, Dealing with Nature, Essay, Floods, Global South, India, Landscape urbanism, Madrid, New Delhi, Pamplona, Public Space, River, Sea Level Rise, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sustainable Development, Sustainable infrastructure, Territorial Approach, Urban Agriculture, Urban dynamics, Waterfront, Watery Territory, Zaragoza.

Essay by Iñaki Alday, excerpted from Cities & Rivers by aldayjover architecture & landscape, published by Actar Publishers.

aldayjover designed one of the first floodable public spaces and public facility in modern times in Zuera Spain in 1998 – construction finished in 2001. The project, with a total extension of 20 Ha (50 acres), sealed a landfill and reconnected the river forest with the town. It included a bullfight and multi-purpose arena integrated in the park, compatible with seasonal floods. Its flood diagram became a paradigmatic image and the project was exhibited in the 2004 Rotterdam Architecture Biennale. With the title “The Flood”, it was meant to foster a national discussion in preparation for the Dutch operation “Room for the River” (2008-2014). This biennale confronted the public with increasing flood risks, seeking to visualize alternative solutions to traditional hard engineering operations.