The Lab in the Netherlands
In September 2023, Lab Managing Director Joe Christo joined colleagues from Massachusetts, Florida, and Texas as part of a climate knowledge exchange delegation to the Netherlands. The group met with national and local climate leaders from throughout the Netherlands, sharing and learning a lot during the week. Lessons and experiences from the visit will be shared with Lab staff and partners during coming months, and highlights from the visit are featured in a photo essay below.
Houseboats along a canal in Amsterdam
Rotterdam’s Centraal Station.
The Nieuwe Maas waterfront in the Maritime District of Rotterdam.
The Rotterdam skyline and waterfront.
The Maeslant Storm Surge Barrier’s annual test closure.
Prototypes and experiments at TU Delft’s Floodproof Holland field lab.
Prototypes and experiments at TU Delft’s Floodproof Holland field lab.
TU Delft’s Green Village, a field lab for sustainable urban innovation.
A living lab at TU Delft’s Green Village.
Lindsey Schwidder from TU Delft describes one of the prototypes and experiments at TU Deflt’s Green Village.
The delegation with Dutch hosts at Hoogheemraadschap Delfland, which serves as the regional water authority in Delft.
Rotterdam’s Chief Resilience Officer, Arnoud Molenaar, presenting to the delegation at Rotterdam City Hall.
A green roof in Rotterdam.
The delegation with Dutch hosts in Central Rotterdam.
Floating structures in Rotterdam.
Lab Managing Director Joe Christo along the Rotterdam waterfront.
Markthal, a public market in Rotterdam that features sustainable design.
Looking towards the beach in Kijkduin in The Hague. The site is the location of Rijkswaterstaat’s Sand Motor project.
A Rijkswaterstaat planner sharing information about the Room for the River project with the delegation.
The delegation with Dutch hosts near Biesbosch National Park.
A view of the Room for the River project.
The delegation along a dike along the Eastern Schelde shoreline.
The view from the other side of the dike along the Eastern Schelde shoreline.
An ecosystem restoration prototype along the Eastern Schelde shoreline, supported by a biodegradable ecosystem engineering product from BESE-elements, which are 3D structures made out of potato starch.
An ecosystem restoration prototype along the Eastern Schelde shoreline, supported by a biodegradable ecosystem engineering product from BESE-elements, which are 3D structures made out of potato starch.
Lab Managing Director Joe Christo at a public market in Middelburg, considering whether to eat a pickled herring sandwich.