We need a new way of thinking. An inner water transition. We must get to know water again and form a new relationship with it. This applies to new water-based designs in the built environment, in our homes, and in cities, allowing us to reconnect with water.
Aquamimicry: a Design Principle from a New Water Consciousness
There is a lot changing in the way we handle water. In rural areas, rivers are allowed to meander again, and we are giving space to water. In cities, we see more green spaces, downspouts are being disconnected, and we are separating wastewater from rainwater. In the construction of houses and buildings, there is a growing search for ways to utilise rainwater and reuse wastewater.
It is good that we are working on circular solutions that reduce the use of precious drinking water, combat water pollution, and decrease the accelerated drainage of water into the sea. At the same time, in all these changes, we still see a technical and primarily human-centred approach, and water is still viewed as a cheap (disposable) product. We have lost our connection with water and nature. We are approaching the current problems with the same mindset with which they arose. This approach does not achieve the regenerative method needed to create a healthy living environment for all life on Earth.
Water as a Family Member
We need a new way of thinking. An inner water transition. And it starts with a new understanding of water itself. We must get to know water again and form a new relationship with it. This applies to new water-based designs in the built environment, in our homes, and in cities, allowing us to reconnect with water.
Indigenous cultures have a very different view of water: water is life and is, as such, sacred and respected as a family member. They say, "Water is not about use; it is about good mutual relationships." If water were like a family member to you, or your best friend, how would you treat it? How would you care for it?
A New Design Principle: Aquamimicry
We can better understand water by observing it. How does it flow? What does it need? By mimicking natural movements and processes, we can design regenerative solutions and support nature's self-healing capabilities. This is called aquamimicry.
When we truly understand water's essential nature, we develop a water consciousness that enables us to build infrastructures that work with water. We can design so that water can also move within a house, a building, or a city according to its natural state.
