For years, rivers were a source of transport and power, upon whose banks our cities were born. But as cities industrialized, many of them clogged with filth and disease – making them not only ugly, but dangerous. Unless they were useful, rivers were often diverted, covered, pushed underground, and forgotten. Not anymore. Reclaiming rivers seems to be the newest trend in urban design, and cities across the world are hopping on the bandwagon. In the UK, the Environment Council is working to restore 9,500 miles of river; in Los Angeles, the eponymous river is about to undergo a complete transformation. It won’t be easy. Once the primary water source of the Los Angeles Basin, the bed and banks of the Los Angeles River were encased in concrete in 1938 following a series of devastating floods. Since then, the waterway has become little more than an outlet for the city’s storm drains - and often sits completely dry. The story of the river’s death is one that resonates with cities across the world.
View moreView full description
