UrbanLid by RiskLab®
It is a warm and humid day in late August after a hot and dry summer when the wind suddenly begins to pick up. You see dark clouds sweeping across the sky. You are in a city surrounded by grey surfaces; paved roads, rooftops and concrete. These hardened surfaces form a type of lid over the ground, and as the rain begins to intensify, the streets quickly fill with water. But there are alternatives...
About UrbanLid
Climate change contributes to more extreme weather, with an increasing number of heavy rainfalls alternating with longer periods of hot and dry weather. UrbanLid is a pedagogical tool designed to describe water-related climate risks and measures to reduce negative effects. With UrbanLid, we can visualise how the water travels and how urban planning affects its journey. The tool makes climate change adaptation more tangible and shows how we can move from fear to action.
UrbanLid was developed by Sofia Hallerbäck to visualise her doctoral thesis on nature-based solutions and water challenges in sustainable planning and the built environment. The aim is to describe the connections between urban planning, land use, biodiversity and water balance.
How does it work?
First, a more natural water cycle is visualised, where water is absorbed and released by plants and soil, infiltrates into the groundwater and flows through streams, rivers and lakes. Then, we simply “put the lid on”, in other words, we add hardened surfaces and examine how this affects the way the water travels. How does it affect the risk of flooding? What is a storm drain? And where does the water go when it rains in a densely built-up area?
UrbanLid consists of relatively simple materials that can be put together by, for example, teachers in collaboration with students or pupils. The tool and associated questions for reflection can be adapted to different age groups and educational goals.