Benthemplein Water Square - Rotterdam
A public square built to flood, and the world's first of its kind
At first glance it looks like an ordinary city square with sunken basins for sport and seating. Then it rains. Benthemplein is the world's first large-scale water square: when a storm hits, those basins fill with rainwater, holding it safely and taking the pressure off the city's drains, before slowly releasing it once the danger has passed. On a dry day, it is a place to play basketball. On a wet one, it is flood defence in action.
For a sustainability trip, it is a small stop that punches well above its size. It shows students a genuinely clever answer to a problem that more and more cities are facing: too much water, too fast. And the design explains itself. The parts that flood are painted blue, the channels that move the water are bright steel, so students can read exactly how it works just by standing in it.
It is free, open to the public, and quick to visit, which makes it an easy and rewarding addition to a Rotterdam day.
Photo: "Benthemplein" by Cathrotterdam, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
