From Dikes to Floating Cities: The Start of a Journey into Dutch Sustainability and Resilience

PGS: Comparative Cultures of Resilience and Sustainability in the Netherlands and the United States

Allison, one of the Penn Global Seminar Correspondents, shares her experience abroad on a Penn Global Seminar. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed.

Around 59% of the land in the Netherlands is vulnerable to flooding, including 26% that lies below sea level. That staggering reality has been the core of our course Comparative Cultures of Resilience and Sustainability in the Netherlands and the United States. 

Over the past eight weeks, we dove into many captivating discussions—the history of how the Dutch have been battling the threat of water for centuries, the modern concept of climate resilience, including its pillars and critiques, and Dutch water management strategies like building dikes, dredging, and reclaiming land.

One of our most exciting projects this semester has been focused on floating cities, a concept that is rooted in cutting-edge engineering and environmental foresight. Alongside my teammates—Sarika, Peace, David, and Morgan—we’ve been researching strategies to enhance the appeal of large-scale floating cities for the Dutch general public, investors, and policymakers.

In the Netherlands, we will have the incredible opportunity to meet with leaders of the Floating Future Project, a consortium of marine engineering companies, research institutes, academics, designers, and policymakers, and engineering students and professors of RDM Rotterdam. Our team will present our research findings, offering creative strategies to boost the visibility and viability of floating cities and homes.

As a Penn Global Correspondent, I am looking forward to documenting not only the innovative floating solutions and climate adaptation strategies but also the human stories behind these efforts. How do the residents of floating homes view their daily lives? What drives the architects and policymakers shaping these bold initiatives? How do local traditions and history influence modern sustainability efforts?

Every day of the trip, we will be meeting and talking to experts about many different areas—climate adaptation in the Dutch Caribbean, rewilding and neighborhood resilience, and more. One night, we are even having dinner with Peter Glas, the former Commissioner of the Delta Programme, a collaborative and long-term initiative between the Dutch government, regional authorities, water boards, and other stakeholders to protect the country from flooding and water-related challenges.

I am incredibly excited for these packed and exhilarating eight days in the Netherlands. To prepare, I’ve been brushing up on my Dutch on Duolingo, practicing biking (one of the most common modes of transport), learning about elements of Dutch culture like eating hagelslag on buttered bread (a popular breakfast practice), and gathering proper rain gear in case of unpredictable weather.

As someone interested in urban studies and sustainability, I am especially eager to see how the Dutch integrate innovative solutions into their cities and communities, considering cultural elements. This trip will not only expand my knowledge of resilience and sustainability in practice but also deepen my understanding of how urban environments can be transformed to adapt to a changing climate. Tot ziens in Nederland! (See you in the Netherlands!)