Reshaping our cities has a very “concrete” meaning: namely removing concrete, literally making and shaping space, every space, for water management on site whenever and wherever we build, to strengthen the natural water cycle as the central buffer against climate change.
Dr. Darla Nickel is an environmental engineer specialized in water resources management. She joined Berliner Wasserbetriebe in 2017, initially responsible for stormwater management strategies, and soon became Head of the newly established Berliner Regenwasseragentur, a joint initiative of the Berlin Senate and Berliner Wasserbetriebe, which supports the ongoing transition to a decentralized stormwater management approach in Berlin. Starting in mid-November 2024, she will assume the role of Head of Objectives and Strategies for Wastewater Management at Berliner Wasserbetriebe. Prior to this, Dr. Nickel worked for nearly two decades in water and climate adaptation research, with positions at Universität Stuttgart, Ecologic Institute, and the German Institute of Urban Affairs.