Winner Students

WATERePUBLIC

A multifunctional water point for public space

Designed by Jadwiga Slezak

About the project.
Access to water in public space plays an important role in solving key problems of our time. Public spaces are increasingly neglected and privatized. Social inequality is growing, people suffer from obesity and lack of exercise, and our immense amount of plastic waste is alarming. The steadily growing consumption of bottled water reinforces this trend and is reflected in a negative carbon-footprint. Along with this, climate change is leading to summer heat waves, which have a negative impact on the health and quality of our lives. Green plants are also suffering from the new climatic conditions. Yet they are precisely a decisive factor for climate protection in our cities.

The concept WATERePUBLIC transforms the existing hydrant network into water points for public life. People and animals have access to fresh drinking water all the time, and water connections can be rented for events like weekly markets and street festivals. This increases the quality of life in our cities and turns empty squares into gathering places. The gray water is collected and directed to green areas nearby. Green space offices and citizens who want to participate in the maintenance of the city greenery also always have access to water. This protects our urban climate, promotes participation and strengthens the sense of community. The installation of standpipes and the CO2- intensive transport and consumption of bottled water is no longer necessary.

Few objects in public space have such a strong recognition value as hydrants. Their archetypal shape is largely the same across countries and even continents. For decades they defy the weather and shape our cityscape. The concept therefore picks up on this formal cross-cultural language. The hard, industrial-looking hydrant body is expanded and given a new interface that formally turns towards people in its filigree and generates trust.

Jury statement.
“What sparked my interest in this particular concept was how omnipresent and obvious the idea is –to understand that water is vital to our human existence but to think of ways to integrate water into our closer proximity, I thought was very poignant and a vital true concern.What I found so compelling about this design was the fact that it was refined –it looked into the future but leaned into the past. I think the industrial design, even the choice of color showed careful consideration for the object as it would be placed in space.
This year, entrants were challenged to shape the future –I think this concept approached the idea of shaping the future head on in terms of water distribution in urban centers. I can see the findings from this project extending to rural areas or to more urbanized areas all over the globe.Something like water is a vitalconcern and distinctly, this project, shaped the future around how water is consumed.” –Virgil Abloh

Jadwiga Slezak

Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design, Germany, Industrial Design – Focus Medical Design

Jadwiga Slezak
BraunPrize Winner Students WATERePUBLIC - A multifunctional water point for public space
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