WATERSTRESS

For quite some time there is a fight between city and nature. On one hand there is the human being with its technique, on the other hand there is nature with all its power. For human beings, the consequence is that there will be more pressure on aspects concerning safety, comfort and quality of live in the cities. This is also the case for the City of Enschede. Due to excessive rainfall there are regularly flooding’s on the lower parts of the city, especially tunnels. Metropolitan cities like New York City and Ho Chi Minh City, and also the French Cote d’Azur are all facing the same challenge.

The struggle between human and nature. However, it’s the struggle between the participating teams as well. The teams are, in a competitive setting, searching for a solution to this over and over increasing problem. In this battle, motivated people are searching for solutions, out-of-the-box and out of their field. In a multidisciplinary environment they will work with idea-generators, designers, developers, engineers and advisors.

This sustainable battle to the best idea will give the participants a social responsible gesture, that shows that they’re involved in finding solutions for this complex contemporary issues about human and nature. Furthermore, they can win great prizes.

For Enschede these floodings result in various problems regarding safety and mobility and, to a lesser degree health and economy. These problems also interrelate to one another in various ways.

In most cases the floodings are solved quite fast. If that wasn’t the case, the consequences for people’s health (dirty sewage water) and the economy (transport) would be much greater.

Additional attention is needed for communication. Inhabitants often have only little knowledge and understanding of the causes and consequences of floodings and of the reasons why some parts flood and other parts of the city don’t. Social media and other forms of communication can play a large role.