K100 Citizens' Waterway: Shaping Public Infrastructure Through Infraculture

What if building a city could also build a sense of belonging? In Bengaluru, a team demonstrated that it can — when culture is embedded into infrastructure. Through the K100 Citizens’ Waterway Project, a forgotten stormwater drain was transformed into a thriving public space. 

By embedding “Infraculture” — the weaving of culture and community — into the city’s water systems, a flooding crisis became a catalyst for connection. In collaboration with 15 government agencies, the team dismantled silos, rebuilt trust, and reimagined infrastructure as more than just pipes and concrete — as something fundamentally human. With design, innovation, and citizen participation, they created a living blueprint for more resilient, inclusive cities. Infrastructure doesn’t have to be invisible. It can be a canvas for community, culture, and hope. That’s the future they’re building — one waterway at a time.