In conjunction with the online exhibition Stepwells of Ahmedabad, Priyanka Sheth, Tanvi Jain, and Aashini Sheth will speak about traditional water structures that form the architectural vocabulary of the semi-arid regions of the Indian subcontinent. With a focus on a particular type of historic subterranean water structure called a stepwell, the lecture will touch upon issues of heritage, gender, patronage, and the current condition of these structures in the city of Ahmedabad. The talk will also explore and speculate about the future of urban water infrastructures in semi-arid regions by referencing traditional systems like stepwells to address the challenges of an impending water crisis posed by climate change.