Amsterdaming
16 August 2025|Netherlands
The Anacostia River has been a trouble spot, for Washington DC for a time. Its also a chance for the city to think big. Lately some fresh ideas have popped up to revamp this waterway. They're taking cues from a pretty unlikely place; Amsterdam. That city is famous for its eco approach to planning, managing water and creating community spaces that people actually want to use. The goal here is to breathe life into the areas around the river clean up the environment and get the local economy moving again. Without hurting the planet. It's a job. If anyone can make it work maybe DC can learn a thing or two, from Amsterdam.This project isn't, about making the area look nice again. It's also about creating a space where everyone can get along and do well. They're using ideas from city planning like being ready for floods having lots of spaces and making it easier to get around to create a model for fixing up cities that other places can follow. The whole thing is based on working with the community making sure locals have a say in what happens through a design process. Basically the people who live there are, at the center of the transformation.I think the more this project moves forward the more it gets you thinking. How can cities take a cue from whats working and use that to tackle their unique problems? The Anacostia project is really looking like it could be a model, for building cities in the future.
The real goal of this redevelopment project is to listen to the people who live and work here. We're talking about the residents, business owners, environmental groups and city officials all working together to figure out what the Anacostia corridor should look like in the future. They've been holding workshops, public meetings and planning sessions to make sure everyones voice is heard from the beginning. It's pretty similar, to what they do in Amsterdam, where they make sure to get input from the community when building things. This way they can create places that respect the citys history and culture while also being good, for the environment.This project is really, about finding ways to make our cities more livable. For instance they're using things like pavements and rain gardens to help prevent flooding and keep our water clean. Restoring habitats is also a part of it and its amazing how much of a difference it can make in keeping our cities cool. They're also doing some work to make our neighborhoods more connected. Bike lanes and pedestrian pathways are a deal. They help people get out and get moving, which is better for everyone.. Letting communities have a say in how their public spacesre designed is a game changer. It's all part of a shift towards making cities more inclusive and community driven which can lead to some positive changes, in the long run. When people feel invested in their communities they're more likely to look out for each other. Thats what builds resilient neighborhoods.When local stories and customs are woven into design it does something it gives people a sense of pride and ownership. This means that revitalizing an area isn't, about changes but about bringing the community together too. It's not about fixing up buildings it's, about healing and strengthening the fabric of a place.
This project is really, about bringing people and places together think culture and environment. It looks to Amsterdam, a city thats ahead when it comes to managing water and creating public spaces. The Dutch know a thing or two, about dealing with floods so we've been picking their brains to come up with landscape designs that can withstand rising water and urban flood systems that're resilient. The idea is to learn from the Dutch and use their expertise to make our water systems things like barriers to prevent flooding and parks that can adapt to the changing weather. We're taking what they've learned and applying it to Washington, which's a cool collaboration.This project is, about bringing DCs history to life while also giving the waterfront a new look. They're talking about adding some experiences, like art exhibits and cultural events that will really make the area feel like its own unique place. The design is inspired by the markets and canals you find in Amsterdam and the goal is to create spaces that're both useful and fun. Essentially they want to build a community thats connected regardless of what side of the tracks you're from. By sharing these spaces they hope people will come together and be inspired by stories of people who've overcome tough times both in DC and, around the world.The Anacostia redevelopment is taking a approach. Its looking at what works in other cities, around the world and trying to apply those lessons in a way that makes sense for its own unique history and character. The goal is to create a model that other cities can follow one that shows how to borrow ideas from elsewhere without losing what makes your city special.
Puiflijk/Netherlands