The NATURE-project, KTH research project

KTH’s research project NATURE examines relationships between nature and society through urban infrastructure with a focus on water. Concepts such as abundance, dependence, control, nature, leakage, symbiosis / parasitism, decay and technosphere are used as a starting points in the project where new knowledge is gathered about water supply and the systems we humans build ourselves into.

Historically, the modern infrastructure ideal has dominated the imagination of engineers and planners. As a consequence, cities’ water and sanitation networks consisting of pipes, pumps and reservoirs have largely been built in the same way all over the world. Cities around the globe are now experiencing challenges that require new ways of imagining future urban infrastructures and water supply. The project combines theoretical insight with empirical work in Guwahati (India) Stockholm (Sweden) and Kampala (Uganda).

For the Symbiosis exhibition, the topic of “water as a symbiotic element” is broadened and deepened, through interdisciplinary meetings with a special focus on artistic expressions and methods, in a creative collaboration with Färgfabriken and the artist Åsa Cederqvist.

The collaboration also resulted in public programs, workshops and content for the Symbiosis-exhibition, which you can take part of here.