Wonderwater

Wonderwater at Tian Hai was a pop-up event to raise awareness of relation of water use and food production. The water footprint is a relatively new but increasingly important tool for understanding our water consumption.

We use large amounts of ‘actual water’ for washing, drinking and cooking, but considerably more ‘virtual water’ for producing food and almost every other product we consume. Agriculture is by far the largest consumer of water globally, and climate change and the world’s growing population are putting make food security a critical issue.

Wonderwater at Tian Hai was a pop-up event that took place in a traditional Chinese restaurant Tian Hai (‘heaven and sea’). Visitors were invited to explore the relationship between food and the water. During the Wonderwater event at Tian Hai, we demonstrated the water footprint of the restaurant’s most popular dishes.

“We wanted the first wonderwater project to focus on the water footprint of food because it is a complex issue where we believe design can play an important role in communicating the concept in and engaging way. What we choose to eat can really make a difference", says curator Jane Withers.

Wonderwater at Tian Hai is a prelude to Wonderwater programme continuing in 2012. 

Water footprint calculations:  Matti Kummu at Aalto University, Water and Development Research Group

Design: Aalto University’s design students Iina-Karoliina Välilä and Tiina Koivusalo. 

Project management:  Matti Hämäläinen and Viljami Lyytikäinen from Aalto Design Factory.

Concept: Jane Withers and Kari Korkman