Hydrowall

HydroWall is a material-driven façade project developed during the MAKING course at TU Delft, in collaboration with Gina Guravage, Julia Veerhuis, and Lotte Bijwaard. The project explores how a building envelope can actively contribute to climate adaptation by collecting, storing, and slowly releasing rainwater to mitigate the Urban Heat Island effect.

The design consists of prefabricated concrete façade panels with a water-retentive core made of hydrocrete: a porous mixture of concrete and hydroballs. Rainwater is collected via the roof and façade, stored within the panels, and gradually released through evaporation and airflow, creating a cooling effect while supporting plant growth and biodiversity.

The project combines material experimentation, 1:1 prototyping, and architectural detailing, focusing on the integration of technical performance, constructability, and architectural expression in a climate-responsive façade system.

HydroWall was awarded first prize in the Concrete Design Competition 2023-2024.