The urban landscape of the Polish city of Łódź, meaning ‘boat’ as it floats on clay and sandy soils, is shaped by the textile industry that flourished in Tsarist Russia. Now that the factories have been decommissioned, the city faces complex water challenges, such as pollution, flash flooding, and water scarcity. These issues call for a shift towards cooperation ‘with’ nature, moving beyond extractive approaches that see water solely as a resource. This paper explores how creative, nature-aligned interventions can address these urban challenges, particularly focusing on water ecosystems. The study presents early findings of a co-creation experiment carried out in Łódź under the umbrella of the New European Bauhaus Project PALIMPSEST. The process was initiated in the city involving local political and cultural institutions and associations, experts with different disciplinary backgrounds and a creative agent. The co-creation experiment seeks to incorporate mycelium into urban water systems, reimagining the relationship between nature and the city through creative design interventions. Mycelium, the vegetative part of fungi, holds significant potential for enhancing water filtration, improving soil health, and fostering resilient ecosystems. This research examines its potential contribution to water quality, focusing on its self-regulating properties and bioremediation capabilities. These characteristics allow the mycelium to degrade pollutants and improve water quality, contributing to a healthier urban environment. The study illustrates the intermediary results of the co-creation experiment, focusing on how it uses design to foster collaboration between humans and non-human entities, such as water and mycelium. The contribution identifies the River Lamos as a testing ground for integrating mycelium into urban water management, highlighting both the potential and challenges of hybridisation. This study emphasises the creative potential in transforming the city-nature relationship by reconnecting water systems with urban space. Through reasoned sketches, it enlightens how water, mycelium, and human intervention can collaboratively shape a new urban-natural landscape, fostering sustainability and community engagement in the process.
Designing with Nature: Mycelium and Water for Urban Ecosystem Renewal in Łódź
F. Berni;I. Bianchi;
2026-01-01
Abstract
The urban landscape of the Polish city of Łódź, meaning ‘boat’ as it floats on clay and sandy soils, is shaped by the textile industry that flourished in Tsarist Russia. Now that the factories have been decommissioned, the city faces complex water challenges, such as pollution, flash flooding, and water scarcity. These issues call for a shift towards cooperation ‘with’ nature, moving beyond extractive approaches that see water solely as a resource. This paper explores how creative, nature-aligned interventions can address these urban challenges, particularly focusing on water ecosystems. The study presents early findings of a co-creation experiment carried out in Łódź under the umbrella of the New European Bauhaus Project PALIMPSEST. The process was initiated in the city involving local political and cultural institutions and associations, experts with different disciplinary backgrounds and a creative agent. The co-creation experiment seeks to incorporate mycelium into urban water systems, reimagining the relationship between nature and the city through creative design interventions. Mycelium, the vegetative part of fungi, holds significant potential for enhancing water filtration, improving soil health, and fostering resilient ecosystems. This research examines its potential contribution to water quality, focusing on its self-regulating properties and bioremediation capabilities. These characteristics allow the mycelium to degrade pollutants and improve water quality, contributing to a healthier urban environment. The study illustrates the intermediary results of the co-creation experiment, focusing on how it uses design to foster collaboration between humans and non-human entities, such as water and mycelium. The contribution identifies the River Lamos as a testing ground for integrating mycelium into urban water management, highlighting both the potential and challenges of hybridisation. This study emphasises the creative potential in transforming the city-nature relationship by reconnecting water systems with urban space. Through reasoned sketches, it enlightens how water, mycelium, and human intervention can collaboratively shape a new urban-natural landscape, fostering sustainability and community engagement in the process.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
