Riverscaping. Alles am Fluss

Riverscaping was a multi-disciplinary, international inquiry into our collective relationships with the river, was born from a $175,000 grant awarded by the European Union to Five Colleges, Inc. The project focused on the river as a medium --rather than just an “object”--that binds together multiple histories, sciences, theories, arts, practices and communities. Conferences, community meetings, a regional design competition and a film series are but a few of the results of this diverse collaboration. Local citizens, artists, community leaders and academics met with their counterparts in Hamburg, Germany in a creative learning exchange. Our regions share many common historical and environmental conditions and our efforts at dialogue and study opened a new and productive exchange of ideas and approaches. Throughout eighteen months, we brought together citizens, policy-makers, artists, practitioners, academics and students from across the region and across the Atlantic. Our energy and attention was focused on exploring and uncovering methods to reconnect with the river (in the case of this project, the Connecticut River) and build better environments and communities--truly capitalizing on the river as an underutilized resource. As a result, during Riverscaping, we attempted to stimulate a more active urban discourse driven by the river’s many potentials and contributions. As a result, our eighteen month project met most of our expectations and exceeded many others. Our primary focus was one education and connection. With a very robust and intense program of activities, we believe we successfully raised awareness of our communities’ need to refocus its attention and capital on the river, while showcasing and broadcasting Hamburg’s (our sister city) progressive and exciting strategies and approaches

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