As New Yorkers face record-breaking rainfall mixed with historic heat waves, the future of the city’s public life imminently depends on shifting our relationship with water in all its various forms—rain, oceans, and rivers—and the multiple ways we engage with it—infrastructure, art, play, drinking, and sewage.

To inspire new approaches to water in New York City, Design Trust for Public Space launches  “Water: Designing an Equitable Water Future for NYC,” their twelfth open call for public space project ideas. Join us for an interdisciplinary conversation about the art, science, and politics of water, and its impact on NYC. A panel of artists, urban planners, and infrastructure experts explores the intersections of public space and water. The event also includes the first-look at how to apply for the Design Trust’s Water Request For Proposals.  

Panelists:

Angela Licata is Deputy Commissioner of Sustainability at the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, working at NYCDEP for over 20 years and leading on the management of NYC’s water supply and coastal resilience. 

Eric Sanderson is the New York Botanical Garden Vice President for Urban Conservation Strategy, and the author of the best-selling book, Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City. The Mannahatta Project, conducted over a decade, investigated the historical streams, ponds, springs, shores, hills, forests, and wildlife of Manhattan Island on the eve of Henry Hudson’s discovery in 1609.

Marina Zurkow is a media artist focused on near-impossible nature and culture intersections, and fostering intimate connections between humans, other species, and planetary agents. Her work spans gallery installations and unconventional public participatory projects and her exhibition Parting Worlds is on view at the Whitney 

This talk is moderated by Design Trust for Public Space Executive Director Matthew Clarke and features a presentation by Daphne Lundi, an urban planner, climate policymaker, writer, and artist. She currently is the Managing Director of Urban Ocean Lab. Previously, Lundi served as Deputy Director at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, leading a team focused on shaping climate policies related to extreme heat mitigation, open space access, and transportation sustainability.

The Design Trust for Public Space Water RFP is sponsored by Woodner Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, HKS, Arup, Buro Happold. This event is proud to be part of the Climate Week NYC 2025 lineup.