International Symposium of Design for Living with Water on August 23-24, 2024 in Cambridge, United States

Water is the main life source for human beings starting from birth. Throughout the history, this vital element affected every field of life as well as the discipline of architecture and design, which have the mission to create comfortable and livable spaces for humans. It is observed that apart from alternative living spaces to terrestrial architecture in traditional forms, during the recent years, the studies which include the analysis as to space hotels, floating spaces and effects of spatial characteristics of pole stations on the users have increased. One of the reasons for this is that peoples need for alternative living spaces and resources has come up. The association of the concept of human-space-water is being considered together more frequently day by day.

In recent years, there is a growing focus on living with water due to extreme climate changes, rising density, economical trends, and sustainability problems. Scientists and futurists from all over the world are indicating the solutions for living with water and predict that the relationship between humans and water will increase. Not only the countries which have the risk of flood, or rising sea levels, but also the other countries which have the probability of effecting by the climate changes are taking into consideration water-based solutions. Also, the flow of capital and changing human lifestyle requirements show us water as an alternative living space.

Although the concept of living with water seems revolutionary, the human relation with water is not a new trend. In the scope of this symposium, different integration types of water to spaces from the vernacular models to floating homes will be discussed. As a response to the world’s sustainability problems, from both economical, socio-cultural, and also the ecological, we need to understand the importance of living with water. As the designers and engineers of the “climate change generation,” we have the responsibility to look at the past, present, and the future and ask the opportunities of water that we could apply, inform and transform to our designs.

We invite designers, architects, engineers, sociologists, students, and everyone who feels the need to create solutions sensitive to climate change and for the sustainable future of the world, particularly design with water.