As climate change drives sea levels higher and floods become more frequent, the Netherlands is embracing floating homes as a smart solution to its housing shortage and flood risks. These innovative water-based communities are now inspiring projects in flood-prone regions worldwide, from the Maldives to French Polynesia.
Floating neighborhoods offer a new approach to climate-resilient urban living. In the Netherlands, rising demand has prompted local authorities to revise zoning laws and make it easier to build on water. Nienke van Renssen, Amsterdam city councillor, says, “Floating homes maximize space for housing and represent a sustainable future.”
Schoonschip, designed by Space&Matter, includes 30 eco-friendly homes along a former canal. Residents share resources like cars, bikes, and locally grown food. Each home has solar panels, green rooftops, and heat pumps, with excess energy sold back to the grid, creating a self-sufficient, sustainable community.
In a country built on reclaimed land, floating homes are practical and innovative. With thousands of traditional houseboats already in Amsterdam, these modern floating communities offer a blueprint for sustainable, flood-resilient urban living.
