Why are more and more cities around the world investing in areas with water, such as rivers, canals or the sea?

Rotterdam is one of those cities, and as part of their ongoing research on its waterfronts, the Municipality of Rotterdam asked us to unpack the key characteristics the city needs to utilise its waterfronts in innovative ways.

Starting in August 2023, we researched worldwide examples of innovative waterfronts and unpacked possibilities for Rotterdam’s water-facing areas.

The City of Rotterdam has an ongoing objective to enhance the utilisation of the Nieuwe Maas and Rotte rivers, focusing on vibrant river banks. Water is central to the city's identity, having shaped its location, name, and global renown. As Rotterdam looks ahead, water will remain pivotal, demanding improved coexistence and engagement. To work on a city that is ready for the future, prioritising lively and successful  river banks is crucial.

The main objectives of our project were to create an inspiring and creative environment that would foster collaboration between different stakeholders, economic departments and agendas, and then, as a result, translate human and spatial insights into design principles for urban interventions from a systemic perspective.

Our aim was to link spatial, cultural and economic development, a reflection of our view of public spaces as  convergences of different kinds of people and interests. In order to have a holistic view of the system in which one is working, it is necessary to understand what the potential is and, above all, who the people inhabiting the spaces are.

In Rotterdam, we analised possible places for an intervention, while defining an overview of five main characteristics making successful water cities: compactness (the capacity of being bustling hubs at all times of day), productivity (the capacity to attract businesses, artisans and startups alike), sustainability (the inclusion of green infrastructure and environmentally-friendly practices), inclusiveness (being accessible and welcoming to all) and healthiness (giving priority to people’s health and well-being).

With these 5 characteristics in mind we approached interviews and conversations with citizens who, in various ways, live along the two rivers: shop-owners, associations, families, and owners of restaurants, cultural centres, and clubs. The combination of research and qualitative data allowed us to share with the municipality of Rotterdam a comprehensive idea of what the riverfront of our city might look like in the future by taking the element of water as a stimulus for change.

Riverfront is a project that combines the results of interviews, mappings and these 5 characteristics to create new spaces for the city of Rotterdam where citizens of all kinds can come together by the water under new interesting dynamics.