tech
noviembre 30, 2025
La vivienda flotante, solución ante la presión del clima y la escasez de suelo
Schoonschip reúne 30 casas flotantes, la mitad de ellas dúplex, en un canal de Ámsterdam. Foto: iStock
TL;DR
- The Netherlands faces challenges from increased flooding, intense storms, rising sea levels, and land scarcity.
- Floating homes are emerging as a central urban expansion strategy, particularly in the context of climate change.
- The Schoonschip community in Amsterdam serves as a model for floating housing, demonstrating security and replicability.
- This housing type is being considered in places like French Polynesia and the Maldives due to rising sea levels.
- Amsterdam is adjusting zoning laws to facilitate construction on water, viewing floating homes as a multifunctional and sustainable solution.
- Dutch floating homes are typically three-story prefabricated structures with concrete hulls, stabilized by posts up to 65 meters deep.
- Amsterdam has around 3,000 traditional houseboats and a growing number of families moving to floating structures.
- Schoonschip features 30 homes with shared transport, food systems, and energy surplus sales, inspiring larger projects like those in Rotterdam.
- Rotterdam, largely below sea level, has integrated floating constructions into its climate resilience strategy, viewing water as an opportunity.
- Projects like Blue21's floating islands in the Baltic Sea and a large floating housing complex near Malé are planned.
- The Dutch government's 'Room for the River' program could integrate floating homes into seasonal landscapes.
- Floating homes are seen as a way to meet the projected need for one million new homes in the Netherlands over the next decade.
- Challenges include technical and infrastructural hurdles related to wind, heavy rain, boat traffic, and connections to essential utilities.