Mapping Workshop GO-Cawh Karlsruhe

The workshop was part of the research on Climate Adaptive Water Hubs (CAWH), which investigates how roads can serve as water infrastructure while connecting local communities, institutions, and designers. Commissioned by Rijkswaterstaat and conducted in collaboration with the University of Groningen, Design Academy Eindhoven, and Coöperatie Kloostersland, the project uses participatory methods to explore social and institutional dimensions of water reuse.

Within an international consortium, a workshop took place in Karlsruhe where partners from five countries tested participatory mapping as a tool for community engagement. The method invited participants to practice three perspectives 1) local, 2) participatory, and 3) institutional, through collaborative mapping exercises. These involved identifying key places, boundaries, and opportunities on maps, using markers, stickers, and ropes to visualize perspectives and shared interests.

The process highlighted how physical and metaphorical boundaries influence community dynamics and how collaboration can emerge when opportunities are mapped collectively. Despite organisational challenges such as limited preparation, absent case owners, and time constraints, the workshop revealed important insights into tensions between participatory and institutional approaches. It also emphasized the need for facilitation, actor mapping, and thorough preparation to ensure effective engagement.

Overall, the sessions demonstrated the value of participatory mapping as a means of connecting technological innovation in water management with social innovation rooted in community perspectives.