Knowing Water

Notas do episódio

Throughout modern history, rivers have been used as transportation networks and border spaces, allowing cities to sprawl and urban prosperity to thrive. At the same time, the material, energetic qualities of rivers, their circulatory power, enigmatic behaviours and endless life forms tend to be overlooked. What story does the River Tagus tell us about the twin cities of Lisbon and Almada when its tangible, effervescent characteristics are permitted to rise to the surface? A work for headphones, “Knowing water" takes the listener on a sonic journey to the riverbed. Exploring the subterranean space in which both Lisbon and Almada are contained, it asks questions about the future of our cities and how water — in all its multivalence — might become more knowable to urban planning. The piece is available in three versions: Portuguese, English, and an immersive sound-only version. Listeners are encouraged to experience the work as they cross the Tagus by boat. This project was funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, as part of the project Sonorous Cities: Towards a Sonic Urbanism (SONCITIES) (grant contract no. 865032) Open House Lisboa 2021 is co-produced by the Lisbon Architecture Triennial and EGEAC, in partnership with the Municipality of Almada. Credits: Conceived and spoken by Matilde Meireles (sound and Portuguese version narration) and Christabel Stirling (text and English version narration). The sound pieces include field recordings by both authors. Introduction and final credits voice-over by Beatriz Caetano Bento. Audio production by Dizplay SoundLab (introduction and final credits) and Merijn Royaards studios (main text recording). Translation by José Roseira.