A Taxonomy of Water Practices, Functions and Values across Space and Time

Water Icons 2.0

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58981/bluepapers.2025.1.taxo

Abstract

In 2022, when we proposed capturing water, culture and heritage with a set of icons, we were hoping to gain a better understanding of the relationships between different types of water uses, spaces and practices. As a team, we were hesitant about categorizing water spaces and questioned the usefulness of doing so. However, after more than two years of working with the icons – through the Blue Papers journal, TU Delft’s Water Systems Design course,1 and numerous workshops – we have come to recognize the benefits of this type of categorization. Our experience has confirmed some of our initial assumptions while also offering new insights. To reflect on what we have learned, we decided to revisit and update the icons and their descriptions. Classification through the icons, per se, is not a solution to any particular problem involving water, culture and heritage. Yet, discussions around their use – for structuring research, connecting seemingly different practices and organizing exchanges of views among diverse groups – can lead to better understanding of diverse perspectives and potentially to the development of solutions. This contribution shares the process of visualizing, describing and activating the various water spaces and functions through design and practices. In this contribution we share how we have developed and used the icons. We also share our thoughts about the use of water icons and their relevance across various contexts, as well as their potential and limitations.

How to Cite

Hein, C., Kayrouz, L., Sliwinska, Z., & D'Agostino, M. (2025). A Taxonomy of Water Practices, Functions and Values across Space and Time: Water Icons 2.0. Blue Papers, 4(1), 16–27. https://doi.org/10.58981/bluepapers.2025.1.taxo

Published

2025-07-09

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2025): Water & Heritage for Sustainable Development

Section

editorial

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Carola Hein, Lea Kayrouz, Zuzanna Sliwinska, Matteo D'Agostino

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Carola Hein, Delft University of Technology

Carola Hein is Professor History of Architecture and Urban Planning at Delft University of Technology, Professor at Leiden and Erasmus University and UNESCO Chair Water, Ports and Historic Cities. She has published and lectured widely on topics in contemporary and historical architectural, urban and planning history and has tied historical analysis to contemporary development. Among other major grants, she received a Guggenheim and an Alexander von Humboldt fellowship. Her recent books include Port City Atlas (2023), Oil Spaces (2021), Urbanisation of the Sea (2020), Adaptive Strategies for Water Heritage (2020), The Routledge Planning History Handbook (2018), Port Cities: Dynamic Landscapes and Global Networks (2011). Carola is also the leader of the PortCityFutures research group.

Lea Kayrouz, Delft University of Technology

Lea Kayrouz is a researcher in the Department of History of Architecture and Urban Planning at Delft University of Technology’s Faculty of Architecture. Her work has focused on projects related to valuing water, including collaborations (the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management). She has contributed to the development of two professional education courses and coauthored an article on the preservation of the Dutch Waterlinie. Additionally, Lea has worked with colleagues on developing and refining the value case approach and was responsible for compiling the entry of Paris in UNESCO’s World Heritage Urban Atlas.

Zuzanna Sliwinska, Independent researcher

Zuzanna Sliwinska is an architectural designer and researcher with an MSc (cum laude) from Delft University of Technology and a bachelor’s degree from Westminster University, London. She has worked on several projects on water-related heritage sites and climate change hazards in Europe and Asia. As co-creator and editor of the open-access journal Blue Papers: Water & Heritage for Sustainable Development, which was featured at the 2023 UN Water Conference, she investigates the interplay between water, culture and heritage to inform sustainable water systems. Her personal research focuses on the relationship between human activities and the Deep Bay wetland ecosystem in Hong Kong. She examines how traditional practices like aquaculture have shaped the landscape, supported local wildlife and have been impacted by urban expansion and changing cultural priorities.

Matteo D'Agostino, Delft University of Technology

Matteo D’Agostino is a researcher at the Delft University of Technology, a member of the PortCityFutures research group, and currently affiliated with the UNESCO Chair for Water, Ports and Historic Cities. Matteo is a cultural anthropologist experienced in the analysis of perceptions and relational dynamics between public and private actors. His research focuses on understanding multiple structural, spatial and socio-economic factors as the basis for spatial planning and social interventions. Other interests include policy implementation for granting access to basic resources, such as water, and the strategic reinterpretation of heritage by institutional and activist organizations.

References

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