Groene Boat: Sustainable Urban Design on Amsterdam’s Canals

Designing the Sustainable City Final Project

Collaborators: Emma Larson (Rice University), Dajuantay Wynter (Washington University)

Spring 2025

The Groene Boat project reimagines Amsterdam’s underutilized canal space as a multifunctional community resource addressing food insecurity, water access, and gender equity in public infrastructure. Developed during a semester abroad studying sustainable urban design, this proposal centers a mobile education center that docks at primary schools for three-month residencies, teaching students about hydroponic and aquaponic food production, water purification, and climate literacy.

The boat integrates several sustainable systems: canal water purification technology providing free drinking water, vertical gardens and aquaponics demonstrations, gender-inclusive public restrooms, and hands-on STEM education spaces. By strategically positioning the boat in underserved neighborhoods and partnering with local schools and organizations like Reclaim the Seeds Amsterdam, the project creates a model for using existing infrastructure to build food literacy, environmental awareness, and community connection.

This interdisciplinary design challenge required balancing spatial constraints, sustainability goals, educational programming, and social justice considerations, all while working within Amsterdam’s unique canal ecosystem and urban context.