The Language of Water

L4WATER

The Language of Water

Project description

This research is the output of a mission for the department Omgeving of the Flamish Governement which seeked for unfolding a methodology for representing the water system as a whole.The project grounds on the hypothesis that a simultaneous visualisation of urban and water spaces entails the integration of otherwise sectorialised knowledges and thus governance powers. The project reveals the complexity of water elements, flows and systems that, despite belonging to different networks (and thus entailing sectorial policies, employments, owners and users) are deeply interconnected and ultimately responsible for the water stress to which Belgium is nowadays more and more exposed. In line with the theories of Water-Sensitive-Design, Language of Water adopts a watershed-based approach that samples different (in terms of urban density, land use, permeability of soil, climate, water extraction activities, water related-risk, etc.) conditions within the Dender watershed.

Keywords, main expertise

water infrastructure; systemic approach; integrated water managment; mapping; water nexuses.

Funding bodies

Omgeving, Flanders

UCLouvain promotor(s)

Prof. Chiara Cavalieri

UCLouvain researcher(s)

Alexander Colson