Twelve tanks and dripping aqueduct visualize water loss at Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion
Temporary installation rethinks the relationship between architecture, water and climate crisis.
1Installation making water loss visible
Selected through Barcelona 2026 World Capital of Architecture open call, 'Plou Prou?' project physically demonstrates water loss through evaporation at Mies van der Rohe Pavilion. Developed collaboratively by Cierto Estudio, h3o architects and Metrònom, the installation invites visitors to reflect on the relationship between architecture, water and climate crisis. It highlights how the pavilion's iconic reflecting pools are actually fragile systems requiring constant water replenishment.
212,000-liter water storage system
The installation uses a system of twelve industrial tanks storing 12,000 liters of groundwater - equivalent to the volume expected to evaporate from the main pool during the 14-day exhibition. These tanks make the scale of water loss tangible. The need for constant water addition to maintain the architectural image clearly shows climate crisis impacts on architecture. This physical representation challenges conventional perceptions of architectural permanence.
3Temporary aqueduct structure
One of the most striking elements is a temporary aqueduct crossing the pavilion. This structure returns stored water to the pool through constant dripping, making the passage of time and evaporation process physically visible. The aqueduct's design recalls ancient Roman water systems, referencing historical water infrastructure importance. Its industrial aesthetic contrasts with the pavilion's modernist purity, creating a thought-provoking dialogue.
4Montjuïc's water history
Six panels on the pavilion's exterior wall research Montjuïc's ecological, political and water-related history. Texts remain invisible when dry, only appearing when visitors spray water. This interactive element turns reading into part of the installation. The panels draw attention to the invisibility of water infrastructures and water's political dimensions, connecting the pavilion to broader urban systems.
5Architecture as ecosystem component
The project presents architecture not as isolated object but as active ecosystem component. The water cycle demonstrates architectural images can't be maintained without human intervention. This approach invites rethinking architectural design's relationship with sustainability. The installation questions architecture's responsibilities in climate change era, challenging conventional preservation paradigms.
6Community engagement program
The installation was complemented by public program including performance, poetry, debate, gastronomy and music. These activities recalled fountains' historical role as gathering, exchange and collective reflection spaces. The program emphasized water as not just physical but also cultural and social resource. Participants had opportunity to build new relationships around water, creating temporary community.
7Design team and process
The project was realized through collaboration between Spanish design studio Cierto Estudio, h3o architects and Metrònom. The team adopted interdisciplinary approach questioning water's role in architecture. Selected by Barcelona 2026 World Capital of Architecture jury, the exhibition ran from July 17-30, 2026. Photographs were taken by Simone Marcolin and Cecília Coca, documenting the temporary transformation of this modernist icon.
8Architecture and sustainability
Plou Prou? exposes iconic architecture's fragility against climate change. Making water visible reminds us of resource limitations and architecture's connection to ecosystems. Such installations represent important steps toward integrating sustainability into architectural practice. The project emphasizes design must carry not just aesthetic but ecological responsibility, proposing new models for architectural preservation.