In the face of urgent global challenges, discussions about the future often overshadow the importance of understanding the past. History is either dismissed as a burdensome legacy and constraint, or mobilized to validate selective agendas and memories. The "Past-proofing Infrastructure Futures" project challenges this oversight and bias, revealing how history can serve as an experiential resource, providing context, comparison, critique and inspiration to help navigate current and future crises. Focusing on urban energy and water infrastructures, the project demonstrates how historical knowledge - inclusively co-produced, responsibly curated and creatively discussed - can enrich sustainable and just transformations.