How many litres of water are needed to produce a litre of wine? Is it always a good thing to have flowing water whenever we desire it? How many oceans of water must people drink dry for the whole world to become as mobile as we are today?

West 8 received a design commission for 3 of the 18 gardens associated with the World of Water theme. Titled; ‘Fill it Up! – A Virtual ‘Water Footprint”, ‘Water Trail – Household Water Consumption’ and ‘The Wishing Table – From Water to Food’ the gardens are designed to explore the Water theme by interpreting issues of water shortage and abundance in contemporary life. A form is given to interpreting the amount of water consumption in industry, in households and in farming. Located next to one another the three gardens are designed as an intertwining space, using different materials and layouts to lead viewers on a journey and make visible some of the hard facts around water consumption.

Inspired by the Jules Vernes’ novel “Around the World in Eighty Days” the 2013 International Garden Show enticed visitors on a journey through time and the cultural, climatic and vegetation zones of the earth. Embedded in seven different themed worlds, namely ‘Ports’, ‘Water’, ‘Cultural Diversity’, ‘Continents’, ‘Activity’, ‘Religion’ and ‘Nature’, the show hosted more than 400 exhibitors from Germany and abroad. A 6km circular walking route lead visitors through all seven worlds and a 3.5km elevated railway track provided a sweeping vista of the gardens.

For more information: IGS 2013, Hamburg