Cilliwung River

BACKGROUND: 'Cilliwung River' is a cross institutional project developed by the 'Landscape Ecology' research team - including Jörg Rekittke, Yazid Ninsalam and Michaela Prescott, and led by Professor Christophe Girot. 'Landscape Ecology' is one of ten research modules forming 'The Future Cities Laboratory' - a transdisciplinary research center established by ETH-Zurich and Singapore's National Research Foundation, and operating under the auspices of the Singapore-ETH Centre for Global Environmental Sustainability. Project outcomes were exhibited through interactive projections and fabricated models at the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) 2014, Urban by Nature in Rotterdam, Netherlands. CONTRIBUTION The 'Ciliwung River' project is an intensive study funded over a span of five years across the mega-region of 'Jabodetabek' which locates an estimate of 28 million people. Against the background of prevalent ecology and sustainability debates, the project developed a methodology based on an iterative approach backed by environmental modelling to test river corridor rehabilitation design possibilities. This project contributes to Rekittke's explorations of landscape within mega-urban contexts, Ninsalam's research in imaging human-environment conflicts that result from rapid urban transitions, and Prescott's study of socio-cultural dimensions of landscapes. SIGNIFICANCE: IABR is globally significant and considered the 'most engaged urban Biennale' in the world', offering an active critique of present and future built environments. IABR 2014 was critically reviewed in Domus magazine. The 'Ciliwung River' research project was developed and reported via numerous book chapters, peer-reviewed journals, academic discussions and exhibitions. This dissemination also generated discourse extending beyond academia, provoking discussions relating to environmental issues in urban-riverine communities.