Geodesign Technical Workshop Advances NBS4Water Asmara Case Study

A technical workshop on testing a Geodesign platform for the Asmara case study marked an important milestone for the NBS4Water project as it approaches its peak phase. The session brought together an interdisciplinary team from Eurac Research, the PLANES Lab at the University of Trento, and the Politecnico di Milano, including anthropologists, architects, planners, and hydrologists, to test the tool ahead of its application in the Asmara case study.

Geodesign is a planning approach that integrates system thinking, spatial analysis and design to support evidence-based planning to meet competing development and conservation goals. Within NBS4Water, it is being developed to support strategic planning with nature-based solutions (NBS) for reducing water scarcity risks and strengthening urban water security in Asmara.

The workshop was guided by Dr. Blal Adem Esmail and Dr. Gustavo Arciniegas (Geo-Col.), who presented recent advances in Geodesign research and practice, and introduced the NBS4Water platform. Contributions were provided by Dr. Chiara Cortinovis (University of Trento), Dr. Alisa Tognon (Politecnico di Milano), and Eurac colleagues Dr. Federica Romagnoli, Dr. Paola Fontanella Pisa and Dr. Giacomo Bertoldi, and Adriana Recalde, and Fatima Salman Awan, whose expertise supported a multi-perspective evaluation of the platform.

Participants tested a first operational version of the Geodesign tool, designed to support the development and assessment of spatial NBS scenarios across the two main watersheds supplying surface water to Asmara. The tool enabled structured exploration of planning alternatives and facilitated interdisciplinary interpretation of hydrological and spatial dynamics.

Preliminary feedback indicates that the tool effectively structures the planning problem and supports cross-disciplinary exchange, while also highlighting the need for further refinement, particularly in usability and analytical performance. This milestone is significant as it precedes the tool’s application with local experts and stakeholders in Asmara—one of the core objectives of the NBS4Water project. Ensuring robustness and contextual fit will be essential for supporting collaborative decision-making on nature-based solutions.

Next steps will focus on integrating feedback, refining the platform, and preparing stakeholder testing sessions scheduled for the summer, supporting the transition toward applied, participatory planning in Asmara.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact: Dr Blal Adem Esmail blal.ademesmail@eurac.edu GLOMOS Center for Global Mountain Safeguard Research, Eurac Research Bolzano, Italy