elpais.com
From Flood to Future: Speculative Design Addresses Climate Change Adaptation in Spain
Students from EASD Castelló's From Flood to Future project won the Biodesign Challenge Summit 2025 Best Narrative award for their speculative design addressing the 2024 Dana flood in Paiporta, Spain, showcasing existing technological and urban solutions, and advocating for improved communication and community engagement.
- How did the communication failures during the 2024 Dana flood impact the effectiveness of emergency response, and what role can technology play in mitigating such failures in the future?
- From Flood to Future uses Paiporta, one of the hardest-hit areas, as a prototype to showcase existing solutions like improved drainage systems and porous pavements inspired by Singapore's model. The project highlights the importance of early warning systems, demonstrated through a student-created app utilizing AIoT technology to bypass bureaucratic delays experienced during the actual flood.
- What immediate actions could cities in the Valencian Community take to improve their resilience to future extreme weather events, based on the solutions highlighted in the From Flood to Future project?
- The interdisciplinary team from EASD Castelló won the Best Narrative award at the Biodesign Challenge Summit 2025 for their project, From Flood to Future, a speculative design project addressing the aftermath of the 2024 Dana flood in Paiporta, Spain. The project uses art and technology to tell a narrative encompassing past, present, and future, incorporating existing urban and technological solutions for climate change adaptation.
- What are the long-term societal and economic implications of failing to adapt to climate change, specifically concerning urban planning and infrastructure, as illustrated by the project's focus on Paiporta?
- The project's impact extends beyond showcasing technological solutions; it emphasizes the need for collective reflection and dialogue. By giving voice to those ignored during the crisis and focusing on existing solutions, From Flood to Future challenges conventional design approaches that prioritize creating new solutions over listening to affected communities.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The narrative strongly favors the From Flood to Future project, presenting it as a highly successful and innovative response to the dana. The positive framing, evident in the choice of words like "megáfono" (megaphone) and the emphasis on the project's award, could overshadow other initiatives or perspectives. The headline and introduction immediately highlight the project's success, setting a positive tone that carries throughout the piece.
Language Bias
The language used is generally positive and celebratory toward the From Flood to Future project. Phrases like "una tarta en la cara de la ignorancia" (a pie in the face of ignorance) and "megáfono al futuro" (megaphone to the future) are highly evocative and convey strong opinions. While effective for storytelling, they could be considered biased because they present a strong subjective viewpoint. More neutral language could be used to describe the project's impact and significance.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the From Flood to Future project and its creators, potentially omitting other responses or solutions to the dana. While acknowledging the project's success, it doesn't explore alternative approaches or critiques of the presented solutions. The limitations of scope may explain some omissions, but a broader perspective on community resilience would strengthen the piece.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a somewhat simplistic view of the problem and solution. It highlights the From Flood to Future project as a key answer to the challenges of climate change and flooding, but doesn't explore the complexities and potential limitations of such solutions or alternative approaches. The implication is that this one project holds the key to solving the issue, overlooking the multifaceted nature of urban resilience.
Sustainable Development Goals
The project From Flood to Future directly addresses SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by proposing and showcasing existing urban planning and technological solutions to improve resilience against climate-related disasters. The project uses the city of Paiporta, heavily impacted by floods, as a case study to illustrate how incorporating features like improved drainage systems, porous pavements, and interconnected buildings can enhance a city's capacity to withstand extreme weather events. The app developed as part of the project further contributes to the goal by providing an early warning system to help mitigate the impact of future disasters.