What we do

At URWAN, we address the critical intersection of urban regeneration and resource management, focusing on water scarcity and climate change adaptation in Mediterranean regions. Our mission is to integrate nature-based solutions (NBSs) to create greener, more resilient cities.

We collaborate with 9 partners from seven countries to implement innovative, participatory approaches that enhance the impact of public funds. Our initiatives include transforming public buildings into “water producers” and promoting multifunctional green urban spaces.

Through co-design with local stakeholders, we develop tailored strategies for sustainable urban development, emphasizing the importance of NBSs for environmental and social well-being. Join us in our journey towards a sustainable and inclusive future.

URWAN Added value

URWAN employs innovative and participatory approaches to engage local communities in co-designing sustainable solutions, leveraging nature-based solutions (NBSs) to enhance water management and climate change adaptation. We convert public buildings into “water producers” and create multifunctional green urban spaces, promoting sustainability and social inclusion. Our international collaboration with partners across seven Mediterranean countries maximizes the impact of public funds through shared and transferable strategies. Inspired by the New European Bauhaus Initiative, we value NBSs as resources for generating beauty, sustainability, and social inclusion in our cities.

URWAN pilot interventions

URWAN pilot area in Rome (Italy)
URWAN Pilot area in Cuba (Portugal)
URWAN pilot area in Larnaka (Cyprus)

URWAN pilot area in Rome
(Italy)

An elementary school with paved areas.
A reingarden and sustainable urban drainage systems collect rainwater from roofs and paved areas.

URWAN pilot area in Cuba (Portugal)

A public building used by a local NGO with a parking area.
A constructed wetland and a vertical garden treat the blackwater from the sewage. A raingarden collects the rainwater from the building roof and surrounding paved areas to irrigate green spaces.

URWAN pilot area in Larnaca
(Cyprus)

2 beach shower and toilet facilities.
Two vertical gardens: a water-recycling green walls with climbing plants and a water-recycling green wall with anchored modules that treat the graywater showers and hand basins.