Home>Publication n°3 Lessons from the Lab: Reinventing the relationship between water and cities
2 March 2026
Publication n°3 Lessons from the Lab: Reinventing the relationship between water and cities
Reinventing the relationship between water and cities. Proposals for addressing climate and water challenges
Transforming Territories – Lessons from the Lab is a series of publications from the Lab of the Urban School dedicated to major contemporary urban and territorial issues.
Designed as a genuine action research tool, this collection highlights group projects carried out by students in collaboration with researchers, experts, and professionals. It combines academic rigour with operational relevance.
Each issue provides a structured summary of the analyses produced as part of the projects, highlights the main lessons learned, and makes concrete recommendations. The aim is to fuel public debate and equip territorial actors to deal with ecological and social transitions
This third issue offers a cross-cutting review of six student projects focused on water. It highlights the challenges associated with this resource, which are exacerbated by climate change and soil sealing. Despite urban innovations and a strengthened regulatory framework to protect territories and individuals, many obstacles remain. The city, therefore, appears to be the ideal scale for experimenting with new approaches based on integrated governance and adaptation to the natural water cycle.
This collection is part of Sciences Po's TIERED project, which aims to respond to ongoing environmental and digital transformations while questioning the adaptive capacities of democratic systems.
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