WaterWalk

27 March 2014

The aim of WATERWALK - a Danish integrated water management project - is to create a solution that is fully developed, well proven and ready to enter the market by 2016, so the great sum of pavement areas will be activated in handling the heavy rain and contributing to recreational elements in the urban space.

The project builds on the project course named Copenhagen Slag 2.0, from which Trejde Natur, ACO Nordic, Danish Technological Institute, Kollision, Orbicon, City of Copenhagen and HOFOR cooperatively have refined and developed to WATERWALK. Since then, Wewers have joined the team and contributes with core competences in concrete-production.

Walking on water

In more specific terms, the concept consists of a modular “Plug & Play” system, which connects separate functions on the upper- and underside of the city.

WATERWALK contains an innovative underground water-management-system (PLUG), linked directly with adventurous recreational elements in the urban spaces (PLAY). The sidewalk of the future will be able to collect and administer water, and at the same time contribute to for example greening the city, a healthier microclimate, more experiences, movement, play and accessibility.

"Climate changes are both a gift and a wake-up call from above. Suddenly nature has become more visible, and these years it is mobilising a dawning understanding that we, in light of our way of residing, our lifestyle and use of resources, trigger far-reaching and irreversible changes to our surroundings. This momentum must be utilised positively to create humane, engaging and thus more sustainable cities", explains Flemming Rafn Thomsen, partner at Tredje Natur.

The Copenhagen sidewalks constitute more than 700 kilometres and even the smallest and most dense city has sidewalks. Both the national and the international market potential are far-reaching. For instance New York City consists of 20.000 kilometres of pavement areas – a city where water management and urban development are high on the political agenda.

The many kilometres of pavements contain a great potential for both water management and added value to the city.

Project details

Responsible partners: Ole Schrøder and Flemming Rafn Thomsen, Third Nature

Collaborators: ACO Nordic, Wewers, Danish Technological Institute, Kollision, Orbicon,

Financial support: Realdania I Klimaspring

Project secretary: Smith Innovation

Project period: 2013-2017

Source: Smith Innovation

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