Rotterdam’s first floating residential area opens soon

Floating houses are a solution to the decreasing construction space in the city

Rotterdam is on its way to building its first floating residential area. After the installation of the first six water houses on the banks of Nassauhaven took place earlier this month, the task is one-third complete.

The first floating homes were installed on a site in Rotterdam-East and brought across the Nieuwe Maas to the harbour basin, explains the municipal website. The remaining 12 houses will also be towed into the Nassauhaven in 2 phases to complete the first floating residential area of the Dutch city by the end of 2020.

Closer to nature

The new way of living seems to appeal to the locals as all Havenlofts have already been sold. What is more, considered as houses on the bank, they are eligible for a mortgage. In a few weeks only, the lofts in the Nassauhaven will be finished and residents can move into their new homes.

Living there will prove a particularly interesting experience as the floating houses naturally follow the ebb and flow, as the water goes up and down about 1.5 to 2 meters twice a day. Last but not least, the houses rank high in sustainability thanks to solar panels and heat generation via a biomass installation.

The future of housing in Rotterdam

According to Alderman Bas Kurvers (Responsible for Building and Living), building on the water is the future. “As the city grows, many new homes will be needed in the coming years. The space to build in the city is limited. There is still room on the water", he said for Rotterdam.nl

Building on the water is also quite challenging at the same time, especially when there is high tide. Kurvers also added that the project was born as the city wanted to gain experience with floating constructions.

Therefore, they challenged the market to come up with a plan for sustainable houses built on the water surface. The alderman expressed his approval of the water houses developed by Team Havenloft and was eager to see more of them in Rotterdam in the future.

Last year, a tidal bank was constructed in order to allow a better experience of the tide and nature in the Nassauhaven, as part of the Riverbanks program. Plants now grow on the gently sloping bank that can withstand the alternation of drought and wetness and brackish water. The newly constructed bank guarantees more biodiversity and makes the living environment more attractive.