This is the story of a smart idea: the water square. It is a story about the city and about rain. Worldwide, the frequency and severity of rainfall is becoming more extreme. This is a problem for many cities, especially delta cities such as Rotterdam, which lies on the River Maas and also below sea level. Capacity must be created in Rotterdam to receive 600 million litres of extra rainwater annually. Radical but clever measures are urgently needed.
To meet this problem, De Urbanisten devised the water square: a plaza that functions as a play area, a floating grass field, a theatre, and a place that can accommodate the water that would otherwise flood the streets and inundate basements.
This graphic novel tells the story of the water square from various angles. It illustrates the genesis of the water square: from the first idea on the drawing table to consultations with the municipal authorities on the eve of the construction of the first water square in the Netherlands. It tells the story of what can be done on the water square, how it works, and the numerous forms the water square can assume. But it also reveals why this idea was conceived, what the current problem is, and why the water square is such a smart idea. And it narrates the story of Max: an adventurous boy who explores the water square during a heavy downpour. It all ends as right as rain.