Buro Happold's learnings from indigenous communities:

from War Khasi --
> tribal bridges are made from living ficus trees in northern india
> part of a living web: support system of the forest
> community and generational stewardship: passing of knowledge
> acknowledging limits of growth: 10~15 years
> welcoming time: living structures get stronger with age, rather than weaker
> acting with care: not forcing but guiding
> blending necessity and excitement: swings as well as footbridges

from the Ma'dan --
> floating reeds islands in southern iraq
> questioning permanence: reeds are a living, evolving material; a shorter design life is accepted and maintenance is elevated; the ego must be removed
> living with the evolution of the material: in response to the natural environment; thus acknowledging that the reed is one part of the system / living web that relies on other cycles, i.e. flooding
> live with movement: whereas "we" get worried about movements
> resilience and universal nature of the reed: able to survive harsh conditions and able to be grown worldwide
> variety of functions for which the islands are used: home, fishing, flood barriers

from the Subak --
> common water irrigation for rice terraces in bali
> respect and relationships: palemahan, pawongan, parhyangan (human to nature, to human, to god)
> working with deeper timescales: seven generations
> success of the commons: shared resources, trust based, pulakerti (sharing water is the common interest)
> nature-based systems: no pumps, no fertilizers; gravity and weirs
> productivity: subak method reduces methane emissions, uses less water and produces more rice
> wider ecosystem services: supported by diversity of process rather than crop

Recognizing and recording patterns is the key to daily survival, and may also be seen as the origin of scientific, philosophical, and artistic developments. A recurring relationship once established among several elements of our world acquires meaning in memory as a pattern. This relationship can then be recorded or codified into a scientific result. It thus becomes part of collective human knowledge, just as our artifacts may be said to codify our collective material culture. The pattern can guide our behavior, or the production of artifacts. The same act of recognizing recurring relations among elements of our world anchors our relations with it, by enabling us to describe, explain, and know it, and thereby act and transform its physical aspects. Certain “patterns” represent informational entities in our minds. These serve to connect (1) the world’s organization, (2) the organization of our knowledge, our artifacts and cultural expressions, and (3) the organization of our interactions with the world.

Five guiding principles

We do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. There is no single ideal city. Instead, our vision for the cities of tomorrow is built around five guiding principles. Together, we believe these are the building blocks for creating cities that feel better for more people.

In short, we believe that the ideal city is:

Resourceful

A resourceful city manages to be both ecologically and economically sustainable. It is welcoming not only to human beings, but also to other sentient beings on our planet. It prioritises circular principles, meaning fully closed water, nutrition, material, and energy loops. It builds sustainably and uses waste as a resource.

Accessible

An accessible city is built for diversity, inclusion, and equality — regardless of age, ability, gender, religion, financial stability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or political views. It ensures fair and equal access to urban amenities, employment, healthcare, education, services, business, culture, leisure, heritage, sport and nature. Finally, a truly accessible city provides affordable housing and access to home ownership, inclusive decision-making with transparent governance, and fosters community involvement and empowerment.

Shared

A shared city fosters a sense of community, collaboration, and togetherness. It is designed for social interactions through shared facilities, public spaces, co-working and living spaces, and transportation. It enables pooling intangible resources too, like skill-share, shared mobility technologies, or initiatives that encourage meaningful social connections.

Safe

Resilience to climate change, extreme weather events, and floods is imperative for the safe city. It promotes a feeling of safety by providing protection for all, with an emphasis on crime prevention and rehabilitation. Going beyond, a safe city ensures a healthy environment to live in while providing access to resources such as food, water, shelter, and care, and fosters physical and mental wellbeing through access to healthcare and green spaces.

Desirable

A desirable city is one that is a pleasure to be in. It is designed on a human scale, making everything accessible within a 15-minute walk. It is a city that encourages the playful side of humans by promoting curiosity, wonder, and discovery. It nurtures a vibrant public life, with access to culture, art, and activities, and appealing public spaces for relaxation, wellbeing, and learning.

1. Water issues affect everyone — as long as the tap is running, we don’t think about it. But even very rainy cities experience water shortages, insecurity, and infrastructure problems.

2. City infrastructure needs to be updated. We can design short-term solutions, but the reality is that our water systems need to be dramatically reimagined for long-term resilience.

3. Find solutions through the lens of design. Play and creativity can break through complex issues and siloed thinking. Water is too important to be left to governments and engineers to solve.

4. Think local to solve global. In order to address the global water crisis, we should first look inward and around us. Small details can make a big systemic difference.

5. And look back to find a way forward. To envisage resilient water futures, we need to embrace local and Indigenous knowledge. Looking at historical and present systems, both natural and human, can help us find courageous, interdependent pathways forward.