Ōtautahi Christchurch is a water city. This source of life runs underneath it, through it and beside it. Yet people’s relationship with water in this place, and how we manage or care for it, has changed over time. From the kaitiakitanga (guardianship) approach of te ao Māori and mahinga kai (food and resource gathering) networks, we find ourselves paving over the waterways today to make way for our urban lives.

But what if we planned and designed our city around water as a source of life and culture?

Join us on Tuesday 6 December for ‘The water city under climate stress’ to learn about the ongoing and often dramatic impacts that climate change is having on our water systems. How might we design our infrastructure to adapt to the changing flows of water?

Hear from local experts and passionate people working in this area. Speakers include:

Dr Matthew Bradbury, Associate Professor in the School of Architecture, Te Puukenga, Unitec
Dr John Reid, (Ngāti Pikiao, Tainui, Tauiwi) Senior Research Fellow the Ngāi Tahu Centre, University of Canterbury.
Dr Daniel Collins (Tauiwi, Ngāphui), water and climate change specialist, Pūtahi Research
Hannah Lewthwaite, CCC Climate Resilience & Landscape Architect
Ben Brown (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Koroki, Ngāti Paoa), acclaimed poet and performer

Let us think about how we could change the nature of our relationship with water by no longer viewing it as a threat, but embracing it as a living resource.

This is a free community event, but bookings are required. You can join us in person or online.

TSB Space, Level 1, Tūranga

6-7.30pm, Tuesday 6 December

The series is made possible by the support and enthusiasm of our family of sponsors and supporters, especially Christchurch Conversations Partner Christchurch City Council and Series Research Partner Building Better Homes Towns and Cities: National Science Challenge