Urban Regenerative Water Avant-garde showcased at a global forum on urban green spaces
The URWAN – Urban Regenerative Water Avant-garde project was presented at the World Urban Parks Symposium, held from 8 to 10 October 2025 at the İstanbul Fair Centre (Hall 10), within the framework of the Landscape Istanbul Fair (LIF 2025). The symposium brought together international experts, practitioners, public authorities, and innovators to discuss the future of planning, design, and maintenance of parks and urban green spaces.
As part of the official programme, URWAN contributed to the debate on how Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) can effectively address urban water management, climate change adaptation, and urban regeneration, particularly in Mediterranean contexts facing increasing water scarcity.
URWAN presentation at the Symposium
On Day 2 – 9 October 2025, the URWAN project was featured in the session: “URWAN | Urban Regenerative Water Avant-garde” (Time: 14:00 – 14:25)
The presentation highlighted the project’s vision, objectives, and ongoing activities, focusing on the integration of multifunctional Nature-Based Solutions into urban environments to enhance resilience, biodiversity, and social participation. The recorded presentation, delivered during the World Urban Parks Symposium in Istanbul, is available on YouTube and can be viewed here:
▶ [Recorded presentation of URWAN at the World Urban Parks Symposium – Istanbul] (YouTube link)
Speakers: Gabino Carballo, Founder and Project Coordinator – Natural-Based Solutions SL
Gabino Carballo is an Environmental Agrobiologist, Project Manager, and Landscape Architect with over 25 years of experience in green infrastructure, urban biodiversity, and sustainable landscape design. As Founding Partner of Natural Base Solutions SL, he specialises in the integration of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) in public and private urban projects.
A recognised international thought leader, Gabino regularly speaks at conferences and workshops and has an extensive background in education in landscape architecture. His work has received several awards for sustainability and innovation, and he is currently developing a Training Kit for the URWAN project, aimed at strengthening capacity-building and knowledge transfer on regenerative water solutions.
Gabino CARBALLO – Natural Based Solutions SL – Project coordinator
Pedro Fernández, Project Officer – MedCities | Interreg Euro-MED URWAN Project
With an academic background in environmental sciences and over 19 years of professional experience, Pedro Fernández has coordinated and contributed to numerous projects in the fields of governance, planning, policy development, and pollution prevention across the Mediterranean region and beyond.
Specialised in greening cities, Nature-Based Solutions, and plastic waste prevention, Pedro currently acts as MedCities Project Officer for the Interreg Euro-MED URWAN project, supporting cities in adopting innovative, participatory approaches to climate adaptation and water scarcity.
About the URWAN Project
The URWAN project addresses the critical link between urban regeneration and natural resources, with a specific focus on water management and climate change adaptation through Nature-Based Solutions.
The project involves 9 partners from 7 Mediterranean countries, working together to:
- Promote participatory and inclusive approaches in urban planning;
- Capitalise on existing and innovative Nature-Based Solutions;
- Demonstrate the importance of multifunctional green and blue infrastructure;
- Influence decision-making processes to multiply the impact of public investments.
By connecting local actions with strategic planning and capacity building, URWAN contributes to more resilient, liveable, and water-sensitive cities across the Mediterranean.
A global platform for urban green innovation
The World Urban Parks Symposium, hosted within Landscape Istanbul Fair 2025, offered a unique platform for sharing case studies, applied research, and forward-looking strategies related to urban parks and green infrastructure. The presence of URWAN at this international event reinforced the project’s role in the global conversation on urban resilience, water-sensitive design, and climate adaptation.
URWAN will continue to engage with international networks, cities, and practitioners to scale up innovative solutions and support Mediterranean territories in their transition towards regenerative and climate-resilient urban environments.
