The Water Runs Through Us:
Water Filtration and Infiltration Practices at Floating University
Reflect on a personal experience with water—whether caught in the rain, swimming in the ocean, or walking on a frozen lake. Addressing our water challenges requires more than technology; it necessitates a deeper relationship with water. How will our lives evolve as this relationship shifts? Can our engagement in urban hydrology promote ecological balance? This narrative explores organic water filtration systems and practices at Floating University Berlin. It presents a blend of strategies, manuals, oral histories, and infrastructures focused on four main types of water filtered on site: rainwater, basin water, blackwater, and various shades of greywater. The text delves into the public pedagogy of Floating University, incorporating artifacts from seminars, workshops, performances, and discussions that encourage reflection on our role in the water cycle. Through this exploration, the manuscript invites readers to consider how we can be both dreamers of a better future and grounded in the realities of our environment.
