Insight1 min read
Water-Sensitive Urban Design
Iranian cities face both water scarcity and flash floods; public space can be part of the answer.
A familiar paradox: cities that struggle with water shortage most of the year flood after a few days of rain.
Holding the water
Instead of rushing rainwater into gutters and channels, it can be held in rain gardens, permeable surfaces and underground tanks, and later used to irrigate green space.
Lessons from qanat and ab-anbar
Iran’s historic cities managed every drop for centuries with cisterns and qanats. Today’s urban design can follow the same logic at the scale of street and square.
- Cut kerbs that guide water into planting beds
- Pavements in permeable paving
- Water features that double as temporary storage in storms
