The prototype emerged through a futures process that worked with urban heat signals, unpacked their direct and indirect consequences, and used world-building to explore how these shifts could reorganise everyday life, access, and survival in the city.

The team identified a deep-seated disconnect between urban residents and their natural water bodies, alongside a rise in "hyper-individuality" where cooling is often sought in isolation (like private AC and fans). In the city, heatwaves risk deepening social divides as only those with wealth can afford to stay cool. The lived experience of this problem is the current state of Beira Lake, once a centerpiece of the city, now often inaccessible or polluted resulting in a loss of communal "thermal culture." The prototype responds to signals of rising urban loneliness, the degradation of the commons, and a growing trend toward ancestral reclamation of health practices.

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A regenerative "cooling ritual" set at a restored Beira Lake that uses time-honored bathing practices to build a "communal body."

How it works: Centered around the transition of sunrise and sunset, the ritual guides people through a collective process of preparation and immersion. It moves participants from isolation into a synchronized group experience.

Key Features:

• • The Potion-Making Station: A dedicated space where participants gather local materials like neem, turmeric, aloe vera, and kumbuk leaves to grind and create their own cooling ointments, rooted in indigenous knowledge and practices.

  • The Ritual Bath: A synchronized immersion in the water body a specific number of times to drop the body’s core temperature.

  • Communal Dining (Kandha & Kanji): A shared meal following the bath with herbal porridge (Kandha) in the morning and spicy porridge (Kanji) in the evening to regulate internal heat.

  • The Cooling Amphitheatre: A space for cultural performances and storytelling that fosters knowledge exchange and emotional connection.

Who uses it: People from all social classes, leaving behind their status at the water’s edge to engage in the shared labor of the ritual.