Building with nature in urban contexts chances and challenges of nature based solutions

With more than half of the global population living in cities, the pressure on urban environments is greater than ever. From rising temperatures to worsening floods, cities face escalating climate threats that demand innovative solutions. But what if we could design our cities to work with nature rather than against it? Enter Building with Nature (BwN)—a forward-thinking approach that leverages natural systems to create resilient, sustainable, and livable cities.

The Urban-Water Dilemma: A Legacy of Grey Infrastructure

Cities have long been built at the intersection of water and land—along coasts, rivers, and deltas. Historically, urban planners prioritized monofunctional grey infrastructure, such as flood barriers, concrete-lined waterways, and piped stormwater systems. While these structures provided short-term solutions, they often came at a steep cost, disrupting ecosystems and limiting nature’s ability to regulate water flows.

Now, with climate change intensifying extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and unpredictable rainfall, urban water systems are under immense strain. The consequences are visible worldwide—from last year’s devastating floods in Pakistan to everyday issues like urban heat stress, pollution, and water scarcity. To meet these challenges, cities must go beyond traditional engineering and integrate nature into the solution.

Building with Nature: A Blueprint for Climate-Resilient Cities

The BwN approach reimagines urban infrastructure by embedding Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into city planning. By restoring natural water cycles and harnessing ecological processes, NbS can mitigate floods, cool urban areas, and boost biodiversity—while enhancing public health and quality of life. Cities that embrace this approach benefit not just from increased resilience but also from thriving urban environments that attract investment and improve well-being.

However, integrating BwN in cities presents challenges. Limited space, competing land-use demands, and diverse stakeholder interests require innovative, multifunctional designs. Yet, pioneering projects in the Netherlands, such as in Rotterdam, Dordrecht, and Nijmegen, show that taking a landscape-scale perspective yields the best results.

Lessons from the Netherlands: Merging Water Management with Urban Life

In Rotterdam, the river has been transformed into a tidal park, providing both recreational space and flood mitigation. In Dordrecht, the Plan Tij reconnects fragmented ecological systems while supporting climate-adaptive housing. Meanwhile, Nijmegen’s Spiegelwaal project proves that even large-scale flood protection measures can simultaneously enhance urban nature and accessibility. These cities demonstrate that working with natural processes leads to safer, more vibrant urban spaces.

Semarang, Indonesia: A Coastal City Embracing Nature-Based Solutions

The northern coastal city of Semarang, Indonesia, presents a compelling case for BwN in an urban setting. Grappling with flash floods, land subsidence, and water shortages, Semarang needed a bold and integrated approach. Under the Water as Leverage program, local and international experts collaborated to develop two transformative strategies: Cascading Semarang and ONE Semarang.

• Cascading Semarang applies nature-based water management tailored to the city’s varied landscapes. It integrates extended rivers, spongy forests, sustainable urbanization, and water-efficient agriculture—creating a holistic model that supports economic growth, public space, and renewable energy.
• ONE Semarang targets the lower-lying industrial and coastal areas. By expanding the successful BwN coastal restoration project in Demak, this strategy combines grey and green infrastructure to curb land subsidence, restore mangroves, and improve water flow, reducing urban flooding and enhancing biodiversity.

Overcoming Barriers: The Key to Implementing Nature-Based Solutions

Bringing NbS into urban landscapes isn’t always straightforward. Many cities are so heavily built-up that purely nature-based solutions are insufficient, requiring a smart mix of natural and conventional infrastructure. Success hinges on several key enablers:

1. Stakeholder Collaboration: Effective NbS requires an integrated approach where city planners, engineers, ecologists, and communities work together.
2. Long-Term Planning: Projects must be designed with both upfront investment and ongoing maintenance in mind, ensuring adaptive management over time.
3. Institutional Support & Financing: Embedding NbS within policies and developing viable business cases is crucial for widespread adoption.
4. Public Awareness & Capacity Building: Educating stakeholders on the benefits of BwN fosters local stewardship and long-term commitment.

The Water as Leverage initiative in Semarang has underscored the importance of these factors, highlighting that tackling urban climate challenges requires a deep understanding of both physical and social systems.

The Future of Cities: Working With Nature, Not Against It

As climate challenges mount, cities cannot afford to rely solely on traditional engineering. The Building with Nature approach offers a powerful alternative—one that not only protects urban populations but also restores ecological balance and enhances quality of life. Whether in the Netherlands, Indonesia, or beyond, cities that embrace NbS are proving that the future of urban resilience lies in working with nature, not against it.

source :

Building with Nature in Urban Contexts – Chances and Challenges of Nature-based Solutions