The Kampung Kali Code study examines a landmark „self-help“ initiative hat redefined urban informality. Led by architect Y.B. Mangunwijaya and community leader Willi Prasetya, the project addressed riverbank vulnerabilities through a strategy of temporary, high-quality stilt housing. By utilizing indigenous Javanese design and low-cost materials, the intervention achieved ecological synchronization while avoiding the legal complexities of permanent construction. Its success was rooted in social immersion that prioritized communal spaces. This approach shifted the governmental narrative from eviction to collaborative upgrading, eventually integrating the settlement into a formal program.

The concept “Kassel deine Fulda” seeks to reconnect the city of Kassel with its 14 km river stretch. This is achieved through an independent river strategy, not merely as a part of a general urban development concept, as seen in most river cities. The strategy combines flood protection and environmental concerns with public space management and accessibility. By prioritizing equal access to the river for all socioeconomic groups, the project strengthens the right to the city and promotes social and environmental justice. Its participatory process, based on co-production with residents, stakeholders, and experts, makes it a model for inclusive urban river planning.

The LabTek Apung (Floating Laboratory) project is a transdisciplinary initiative that addresses the intertwined ecological and social challenges of urban river pollution in Jakarta. Originating from a citizen science workshop, the project transforms traditional bamboo rafts into a floating laboratory for environmental education and research. In response to the severe contamination of the Ciliwung River, including excessive E. coli levels and a lack of adequate sanitation infrastructure, LabTek Apung empowers local communities to engage in simple, accessible water testing. Through playful and inclusive activities, the project demystifies scientific processes, promotes environmental awareness, and encourages local stewardship.

Lily’s Leaves is a social enterprise based in Kathmandu that responds to the city’s severe loss of green spaces, high levels of air pollution and the long-term degradation of urban riverbanks. Originally founded to enhance women’s empowerment, the initiative‘s work in this case focuses primarily on ecological restoration in the dense urban environment. Lily’s Leaves has established Miyawaki mini-forests along the banks of Bagmati and Bishnumati river, transforming former informal dumping sites into compact, biodiversity-rich green spaces. The project demonstrates how small-scale, nature-based interventions can reclaim misused riverbank areas and enhance environmental quality in highly urbanised contexts.

Mapocho 42K is an urban regeneration project in Santiago de Chile that transforms the banks of Mapocho river into a continuous 42-kilometer public space. Initiated as an academic research project, it evolved into an applied strategy. The project addresses both spatial and social challenges by reconnecting fragmented urban areas, enhancing public space, and promoting environmental recovery. Key interventions include the consolidation of a green corridor, a cohesive pathway for cycling and walking, improved accessibility, and integration with existing parks. The initiative has fostered social cohesion, improved sustainable mobility and equal access and revived the Mapocho river as an integral part of the city.

Oslo Elveforum is a civic organisation founded in 2000 to restore, protect, and reopen Oslo’s rivers and streams. Emerging from decades of ecological degradation and the burial of urban waterways, the forum has become a key partner to municipal agencies and a mobilising force for local communities. With a dual mission of advocating for riverfriendly urban planning and fostering citizen engagement, the forum addresses climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and the creation of accessible public spaces.

People’s Park is a community-led project initiated by Komb Green Solutions in Korogocho, one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements. In a context marked by environmental degradation, river pollution, lack of safe public space and high levels of youth marginalization and violence, the project transforms a former riverside dumping ground into a public green space. The initiative combines riverbank restoration, waste removal, tree planting and community mentorship to address both ecological and social challenges. The creation of the People’s Park demonstrates how grassroot environmental action can improve public safety, strengthen community cohesion and reclaim polluted urban spaces in the context of urban rivers.

The VeryNile project addresses plastic pollution in the Nile River through an integrated approach that combines environmental cleanup with social and economic development. By partnering with local communities, particularly fishermen and women, the project incentivizes plastic waste collection, providing supplementary income and job opportunities. Key activities include waste recycling, upcycling plastic into products, and offering educational and healthcare services to support community well-being. The project also raises environmental awareness through creative campaigns and monitors waste collection using a digital tracking application.

The Wild Mile project reimagines a heavily industrialized stretch of the Chicago River as a living urban ecosystem and inclusive public space. Led by the non-profit organization Urban Rivers, the project transforms the North Branch Canal into the world’s first mile-long floating eco-park. Floating gardens, greenway paths, and educational installations restore lost habitats, improve water quality, and reconnect residents with the river. Combining ecological restoration with community engagement and environmental education, the Wild Mile demonstrates how postindustrial waterways can evolve into resilient, people-centered urban landscapes.