Favorita’s Waters: Resilient Care Infrastructures for a Contemporary Mediterranean Garden

Ever since Norman times in Sicily, waterways have been protected as essential infrastructure for community, plants, and animals. Although water has sustained social rituals and natural biological cycles for centuries, in our contemporary cities the clean water of fountains, ponds, canals, and lakes is disappearing.

In a state of constant scarcity, characteristic of Sicilian summers, the study and rediscovery of underground springs, water infrastructures, and irrigation systems becomes a collective act of care for fragile urban ecosystems.

 Through the lens of water as a cultural, social, therapeutic and environmental resource, Favorita’s Water Summer School explores the irrigation heritage of Palermo’s Parco della Favorita (from water towers, Arab irrigation systems and Baroque fountains, to Roman cisterns) as a way to re-imagine new and speculative designs to better take care of water in the city.

The workshop is organised and led by Flavia Saggese (USI Mendrisio) and Paolo Failla, Francesca Gotti, Lara Monacelli Bani, Yona Schreyer and Michele Zadra (Wunder Collective), with the participation of Prof. Muck Petzet (USI Mendrisio) and Prof. Giuseppe Barbera (University of Palermo). 

Working together on site, we will meet the local community and critically develop speculative design interventions revolving around urban water.

The 2026 Summer School is conceived and promoted by the Istituto Svizzero, in collaboration with Studio Rizoma – Teatro Garibaldi, USI Accademia Mendrisio and Università degli Studi di Palermo, with the valued support of Banca Patrimoni Sella.

The call is now open! Visit the Summer School’s website for information and application forms.