Water has always been both a giver and a taker of life. It carves landscapes, nourishes civilizations, and shapes our cities. Yet, it also reminds us – sometimes violently – of its immense power. Floods have existed for millennia, but never before has their frequency and intensity threatened so many lives, so many homes, and so many urban environments. As climate change accelerates, we are entering an era where urban flooding is no longer an exception; it is an expectation.

The numbers alone are staggering. By 2050, an estimated 1.6 billion people will be at risk from flooding. Entire coastal cities, from Jakarta to New York, are grappling with the reality of rising sea levels, overwhelmed drainage systems, and extreme storms that once seemed rare but are now becoming routine. This issue is dedicated to exploring this crisis – not just as a challenge, but as a catalyst for innovation and resilience.

Flooding is more than an environmental hazard; it is a deeply human story. It is the child watching murky water rise past their bedroom window, the shopkeeper wading through a destroyed storefront, the elderly resident being rescued from a home that no longer exists. Flooding erases certainty, turning streets into rivers and displacing millions. But in its wake, it also reveals something extraordinary: our capacity to adapt. Cities are not just responding to flood risks; they are rethinking the very way we live with water.

In this issue, we delve into the world of flood resilience, where urban planners, engineers, and designers are pioneering new ways to safeguard our communities. From nature-based solutions that harness wetlands and mangroves as natural barriers to smart infrastructure that predicts and mitigates flood impact in real time, cities are finding ways to coexist with water rather than fight against it.

We take you to New Orleans, where one of the most ambitious flood defense systems in the world stands as both a symbol of human ingenuity and a stark reminder of past failures. We examine the floating neighborhoods of the Netherlands, where water is not feared but embraced as an integral part of urban life. And we travel to Vietnam, where Ho Chi Minh City is affected by flooding and subsidence.

Yet, even as we celebrate these efforts, we must ask difficult questions. Are we doing enough, fast enough? Are we designing cities that can withstand not just the floods of today but those of tomorrow? And, crucially, are we making these solutions accessible to all, or only to those who can afford resilience?

Flooding does not discriminate, but our responses often do. As we explore these urban solutions, we must remember that resilience is not just about infrastructure – it is about people, policies, and priorities.

This issue of toposis not just about water; it is about the future. A future where cities adapt, where innovation thrives, and where we learn to work with the forces of nature rather than against them. The rising tide is inevitable. How we respond to it is a choice.

We invite you to immerse yourself in these stories, to witness the challenges and the triumphs, and to be part of a global conversation that will shape the cities of tomorrow. Because in the end, flooding is not just a test of engineering – it is a test of our will to adapt and endure.

I very much look forward to your feedback on this extraordinary issue and hope you, dear readers, will enjoy it.

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