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Looking back on the second work session of Delta Rijnmond-Drechtsteden 2100

June 4, 2025
Jaap van der Salm presents the first reflection H+N+S. Image: Lena de Rouw

Reflection, Connection, and Imagination in the Schiehaven

On Tuesday 4 June 2025, the second work session of the IABR Atelier Delta Rijnmond-Drechtsteden 2100 took place at Oase in the Schiehaven, Rotterdam. In an intimate setting – the core team and the three design offices – participants worked collaboratively toward a shared understanding of the challenge. Substantive reflection was at the heart of the session, with focused attention on the six water strategies from the Delta Program and the complex water system of the port.

The afternoon opened with plenary presentations by De Urbanisten, H+N+S Landschapsarchitecten, and PosadMaxwan. Each team presented their initial reflections on the assignment, an early design approach, and a first articulation of the narrative they aim to develop. The presentations revealed a diverse range of design methods and research perspectives.

In Dialogue at Thematic Tables

After a short break on the sunny quay – where artist Maud van den Beuken offered a first glimpse of her Sediment Station, and we faced sea containers filled with silt from the Maas River – participants reconvened for a series of rotating discussions at three thematic tables. The emphasis was on in-depth, content-driven exchange. Each design office had the opportunity to bring forward targeted questions to experts, table leaders, and core team members.

Table 1: Six Water Strategies – Moderated by Pieter Jacobs, this table explored how the six Delta Program strategies might be spatially interpreted, and what that could mean for dike dimensions, peak discharges, and overall system resilience. A particular focus was placed on the implications of sea-level rise scenarios up to +2 meters, and the cascading effects on dike rings, flood defenses, and the potential role of nature-based solutions.

Table 2: Port Water System – Led by Ellen Kelder, Marc Eisma, and others, this table focused on the interaction between water safety and port economy. Topics included salt intrusion, reduced use of port spaces, and how to meaningfully integrate economic and ecological interests.

Table 3: Research Questions and Knowledge Gaps – Chaired by Dirk Sijmons and Lodewijk van Nieuwenhuijze, this table took a reflective stance, interrogating the long-term view of the challenge. Participants raised issues around the spatial impact of the circular economy, decarbonization, and sedimentation dynamics—alongside the potential of dredging as an active design strategy. Discussions called for an expanded systems perspective on ports, urban regions, and agriculture, and for interdisciplinary collaboration with experts in energy, soil, and ecology. Key themes included degrowth, temporality in land use, and the challenge of extending design and policy thinking beyond the 2100 horizon.

Table session in Oase Rotterdam. Image: Lena de Rouw 

The River as Storyteller

To close the afternoon, artist Maud van den Beuken gave an inspiring talk on her work Slib van de Nieuwe Maas. She shared her approach to the river as a living entity – a perspective that invites not only technical but also sensory and narrative engagement with water and landscape. Her contribution resonated with the session location and her installation Sediment Station, which opened this month as part of the Rotterdam Architecture Month. She officially invited us to join her We Carry the River March, a performative walk in which participants collectively carry the weight of the silt through Rotterdam.

Maud van den Beuken at her outdoor installation Sediment Station. Image: Lena de Rouw 

On to the summer

This second work session marked an important step in the research by design: the challenge was further articulated, and key thematic directions were explored. An additional – in-house – work session will be held on 18 July 2025 at Posad Maxwan. The next full session will take place on 17 September 2025 and will focus on the Port of Rotterdam.