Today cities are consuming 75% of the world’s resources, which puts significant pressure on areas far from the cities themselves (Stockholm Resilience Center 2022). Food is among the largest drivers of global environmental change contributing to climate change, biodiversity loss, freshwater use, interference with the global nitrogen and phosphorus cycles and land-system change (C40 2024).

This thesis describes a proposal for collecting and distributing rain- and stormwater within the context of urban farming and gardening. It explores how design can be a part of creating and promoting self-sufficient cities that are less resource intensive than they are today.

Through the lens of Transition Design the proposal are aiming for a positive, system level change and a transition toward desirable long term futures. It can be divided in three sections, The Urban Farmer, The Vessel and The Wooden Aqueducts.

The Urban Farmers would live in apartments throughout the city, forming a network of colleagues. The people in the neighborhood would get more understanding of the work that their local farmers do, and they would get more aware of where their food comes from.

The vessel collects rain and stormwater and then distributes it when needed. It could act as an object not only for the use of water, but also as a way of sparking discussion, and just as it directs water to the trees, it just as well directs our minds and our attention towards them.

The Wooden Aqueducts, inspired by the old craft, could potentially be created as a community practice to engage residents in the surrounding area. When the aqueducts are no longer needed they can remain at the site and be allowed to molder to make the cycles of organic matter visible and to challenge what is considered to be a well managed area.

The Urban Farmer, The Vessel and The Wooden Aqueducts are all means to a future vision through a combination of short term, long term, small and big solutions and suggestions.