BBC: How Asia's 5,000-year-old Rice Terraces are Inspiring Modern Flood Control
As climate change intensifies, many cities are facing severe flooding challenges, and renowned designers around the world are utilizing traditional agricultural wisdom, such as terracing, to help cities absorb rainwater.
For example, Thai designer Voraakhom designed a rooftop garden at a university, which reduces rainwater runoff by simulating the layered structure of traditional terraces to grow crops. As part of the "sponge city" concept, this design approach addresses urban drainage issues primarily through the construction of green infrastructure rather than traditional gray infrastructure.
Professor Kongjian Yu, Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Dean of the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Peking University, advocates that cities should rely more on soil and vegetation rather than building more steel and concrete to cope with floods and excessive rainfall. Traditional wisdom, such as terracing, has significant advantages in managing floods, including rainwater retention and water purification. Asian cities are gradually exploring new solutions by combining modern technology with traditional wisdom, which not only enhances urban climate resilience but also improves urban ecosystems to some extent.
Overall, modern cities need to draw on historical experience and adjust their relationship with nature to adapt to increasingly unpredictable climate change.
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