Water-dispensing project in Mexico City wins WAF's 2025 GROHE Water Prize

The 2025 GROHE Water Prize has been awarded to ‘waterspaces’, a project by research collective Rizoma del agua, led by Diego Rivero Borrell. The announcement, made by the World Architecture Festival, follows a record 40-plus submissions for this year’s competition.

The £10,000 award will fund the development of a prototype water-dispensing facility in Chimalhuacán, a municipality in Mexico City facing severe water shortages. The project proposes a 530-square-foot community space, integrated into existing sports areas, equipped with a solar-powered system to filter and distribute collected rainwater and groundwater. A submerged 10,000-litre tank, supported by a five-stage filtration system, is expected to produce up to 230,000 litres of potable water annually.

Jurors praised the initiative’s "in-depth analysis of how water shortages impact individuals and communities in Mexico," adding that "given that most water in the country is purchased, the judges believe this straightforward initiative has the potential to significantly improve the supply of natural water in an area of extreme need."

The project will be showcased at WAF 2025 in Miami, where the award will be formally presented.