Water en Route
Access to clean water for nomadic dwellers




  • Thesis Base:
  •              “Hydro-Social Design for Migration Networks” by Melis Ellen Gurdal


  • Institution:
  •              University of Cambridge, Department of Architecture

  • Date: 2023-2024

  • Skills:
  •             UX Research
  •             Human-centred Design
  •             Fieldwork and Ethnographic Study
  •             Social Impact Design
  •             Multi-lingual Design


 Problem Statement
Displaced and nomadic people often struggle to access clean water due to unreliable infrastructure, language barriers, and fear of authority. Existing mapping tools fail to address these needs in offline, rural, and cross-cultural environments.
Goals
Understand the environmental, cultural, and political barriers to water access along migratory routes.
Design a digital experience that empowers vulnerable users to locate, trust, and report water sources safely.
Bridge ancient infrastructure logic with modern, mobile-first design.


UX Research Objectives
Understand users’ environmental and migratory context.
Identify the pain points in current water access along migration routes.
Determine how architecture, culture, and digital tools can merge to support climate adaptation.
 Test how digital hydro-social networks can replicate the inclusive function of historic Caravanserais.












Key Research Insights
1. Water Access is PoliticalPrioritize decentralized, community-driven access points to reduce dependency on formal systems.

2. Mobile and Vulnerable Populations Require Resilient Tools
Optimize for offline use, minimal bandwidth, and intuitive GPS/SMS-based navigation.

3. Historical Infrastructure Offers a Relevant Framework
Incorporate spatial metaphors of shelter, wayfinding, and communal care into the user experience.

4. Water Holds Cultural and Ritual Significance
Design interactions that respect cultural rituals, emphasizing dignity, privacy, and symbolic value.

5. Infrastructure Communicates Power and Memory
Use the interface to surface community narratives and contextual information through map-based storytelling.





MVP Scope
Water Point Map with GPS & offline functionality
SOS Button with emergency contact + location pin
Multilingual Chatbot for asking about water availability
Ritual Water Zones for cleansing/freshening 
Shelter Nearby overlays 







Accessibility & Ethical Design
Design decisions reflect the needs of high-risk, low-literacy, and trauma-experienced users.

Offline-first
Icon-based navigation
Low-reading design
Cultural safety
Anonymous interaction



User Personas
Sitemap

User Task Flow

Design Proposal