This thesis explores the relationship between architecture and water, focusing on the new challenges posed by rising sea levels for marginal territories such as the Basso Ferrarese in the Po Delta. Water is explored as a flowing element, connected to human life through various aspects, from housing to Barragan’s gardens, from Roman engineering works to floating architecture. The research has led to the creation of a design vocabulary that includes spatial, functional, formal, and perceptual relationships to develop new future scenarios.

The thesis considers the challenges of climate change, particularly in relation to sea level rise, which requires new design approaches. The development of utopian visions and imaginaries, in which water becomes a material for the project, is considered important by literature related to ecological urbanism to create new territories that address environmental challenges sustainably.

The research focused on the Po Delta and the Italian Adriatic coast as one of the largest at-risk areas in Europe. The thesis proposes an imaginary for the future composition of the water space that allows for the persistence and natural element to coexist in harmony. Through design exercises, the research explored the compositional possibilities of the area and sought to understand if the system of relationships identified in the first phase of research can be used to define new possibilities for the area.

In summary, the thesis proposes new reflections on the relationship between architecture and water and suggests the importance of a sustainable approach to environmental challenges that must be addressed in marginal territories. The proposed imaginary for the future composition of the water space is based on a system of relationships that encourages coexistence between humans and nature.