Toolkit: Łódź Meanders

The Łódź Meanders toolkit was created out of the need to address challenges well known in Łódź’s courtyards, squares, and green belts: rapid water runoff after heavy rainfall, the formation of puddles in impermeable areas, and soil drying out during dry periods. Instead of large-scale infrastructure interventions, they propose micro-scale actions that can be carried out locally, jointly, and in stages.

Łódź Meanders are modular structures made of natural materials such as wood chips, sawdust, soil, and plant fibers. Their form refers to river bends, which in the natural environment slow down the flow of water, allow it to soak in, and promote self-cleaning processes. In an urban context, meanders perform a similar function: they direct water, retain it for a short time, and allow it to feed the soil where it is most needed.

The toolkit has been designed for individuals, neighborhood communities, schools, institutions, and anyone who wants to take local action without the use of heavy equipment or specialized infrastructure. Meanders can be built in workshops, using easily accessible materials, and their form allows them to be moved, modified, and adapted to changing conditions. Thanks to this, they can function both as a retention element and as a clear sign of care for the place.

An important aspect of Łódź Meanders is that they have an attractive and mobile form. Workshop experiences have shown that the acceptance of nature-based solutions in urban spaces often depends on whether they are perceived as purposeful, designed, and aesthetic. Meanders, planted with vegetation or integrated with greenery, can serve as soft boundaries, small landscape installations, and elements that organize space – especially in degraded or neglected areas.

The toolkit guides you through the entire process: from understanding the idea of Meanders, through recognizing the location and selecting the type of meander, to its construction, installation, and observation of its operation over time. It is an invitation to work with water in a mindful and communal way – with the idea that even small changes can really improve the functioning of the urban landscape.