When you think of rivers, you probably don’t think of architects. But Derek Hoeferlin has made it his life’s work to prove why you should. As an architect, chair of Landscape Architecture, and author of Way Beyond Bigness, Derek advocates for a radical shift in how we design with water—not against it.
He’s studied watersheds across the Mississippi, Mekong, and Rhine, learning how infrastructure, culture, and community intersect. Whether it’s rethinking the 20th-century concrete-heavy mindset, or collaborating with Mekong farmers growing salt-tolerant crops as a response to rising sea levels, Derek shows that every river tells a story of both conflict and connection.
To explore more about Derek Hoeferlin and his work, you can follow him on LinkedIn, visit his website, and buy a copy of his book, Way Beyond Bigness: The Need for a Watershed Architecture, through ORO Editions or Applied Research and Design Publishing.
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