The shape of water is concerned with the visible and the invisible. It's a back-and-forth between the visible water in Porto (fountains, wash-houses, etc.) and water's invisible journey (underground conveyance and invisible rivers). The idea is to give visibility to things that are normally invisible, while at the same time focusing on people's sensations in the city. Just as we don't see the underground water network, we don't read other people's thoughts, which are in constant motion. Porto's waters are a major part of the city's history, so we must make this beautiful heritage visible and consider it. At the same time, however, let's make our own stories visible. Water is a substance essential to the body, to life, and yet the least known surface of the earth. Just like thought and reverie, there is the essential unknown.
The first step of my method is to found maps about Porto's water network on the urban planning, in order to understand better the territory and the organization. Do you know Porto is 19 rivers mostly underground that feed around 92 water's points in the city ?
The methodology is to extract cartographic data by interpreting them in a more sensitive way, thus giving them a new visibility.
Develop a fun trail via an app to follow the path of the water and discover Porto's incredible fountains.
The idea behind the project is to show Porto in a different light, creating a tour route along the water trail. Following the underground networks through the visible in a playful way.
The second part of the project focuses on dérive, giving people the right to dream in space. Rather than giving historical information about the route's stop-off points, it would be to give a glimpse into the thoughts of the people who once found themselves in these places.
The idea behind the project is to discover or rediscover Porto through the path of its waters. The initiative proposes a reappropriation of the space (the stop points on the route corresponding to the stop points) based on the artistic participation and sensations of the participants. All participants would have a creative kit given.
