Cities are very thirsty. United Nations research projects that water demand will outpace freshwater supply by 30% in 2030. Current day practices like extreme groundwater abstraction without sufficient recharge, surface water pollution and climate change are amplifying the water crisis. As opposed to the highly visible and tangible impact of flood risk, water scarcity is an invisible threat, but no less destructive. Notably regions suffering from drought and water scarcity are often also impacted by flooding. While efficiency and optimisation of water supply systems are part of the solution to alleviate water scarcity a holistic and spatially integrated approach is needed. Fresh water supply on Small Island States in the Caribbean are extremely vulnerable to the impact of climate change.Because of the historical connection with the (former) Netherlands Antilles and its fresh water challenges as small island states at the forefront of climate change this design study focuses on the integration of nature- and heritage-based designs solution in spatial developments for a resilient future on the island state of Curaçao.
For the case study in Curaçao a collaboration has been established with several parties: