Castellana 214 Hall at the Fundación Canal is hosting a new exhibition from 17 December to 30 June, which seeks to highlight the importance of water for life and to inspire the necessary change for its conservation and sustainable management.

With an environmental, cultural and historical vision, Somos Agua (We are water) highlights the value of water and the essential role of the public company, Canal de Isabel II, as the manager of Madrid’s entire water cycle.  It offers a 360 degree vision of the water environment, with informative technical and scientific content, through captivating installations, images and audiovisual material

The exhibition spans 2,500m2 and is organised into 12 themed sections which cover all aspects related to water.  Several themes focus on aspects like the role of rivers as cultural and natural landscape creators, the wealth of the different ecosystems, the relationship between water and power or their physical and chemical properties.  Other everyday tasks are also brought to the visitor, such as bringing water to the city, its domestic and industrial consumption, or the concept of water footprint, in terms of everyday activities. 

Some of the most relevant sections focus on solutions for the mitigation and adaptation to climate change, which are being undertaken in sustainable water management.  The natural cycle of water ends in the sea, with its wealth, functionality and beauty, through which the visitor passes.

It is an exhibition that is presented in an extremely visual way, in which visitors are submerged in a route that includes a meandering river, impressive audiovisuals, the sound of waterfalls, rain or the trickling of streams, with a didactic component designed for all ages.  The route goes through the large-scale audiovisual resources, some of which are 6 metres high and more than 30 metres long, and Europe’s longest LED tunnel. 

The exhibition is located in an underground water take that was built to cover drinking water needs as a result of the expansion of Madrid.  The space preserves the image of the former cistern, with 144 brick arches that rose up to a height of more than 7.5 metres.

Image Credits:

• Fundación Canal Archive
• Coral Reef
• Bardenas Reales, Navarra. Jose Ramn
• Aerial view of the Iguazu Falls on the border of Brazil and Argentina, South America. © 2018 Rodrigo M. Nunes
• Aerial view of Vahvajärvi Lake, Finland. Simo Räsänen