Floating Futures: Living with Water, Not Against It With Rutger de Graaf – Podcast Episode: S4, E7
Floating Futures: Living with Water, Not Against It With Rutger de Graaf
We’ve fought water for centuries, but maybe it’s time to live with it—and even on it.” – Rutger de Graaf
Tune Into This Fascinating Podcast
Imagine cities that rise with the sea instead of sinking beneath it.
In this eye-opening episode of Constructive Voices, host Jackie De Burca speaks with visionary Dutch engineer Rutger de Graaf, co-founder of Blue21, about how floating urban developments can offer real, resilient solutions to the climate crisis.
🎙️ Episode Title: Floating Futures: Living with Water, Not Against It
🗓️ Published: 15th April 2025
🎧 Duration: ~49 minutes
👤 Guest: Rutger de Graaf, Co-founder & Director, Blue21
🎙️ Host: Jackie De Burca
Floating Developments Aren't Just A Back Up Plan
“Floating developments aren’t just a backup plan for climate change; they’re innovation platforms for decentralised energy, housing, and community.” Rutger de Graaf
For over 18 years, Rutger has been leading the charge in designing, engineering, and implementing floating infrastructure in the Netherlands and beyond.
This episode delves deep (pun intended) into how floating neighbourhoods, ports, and even social housing could redefine our relationship with water—and why this isn’t science fiction but a rapidly emerging reality.
So In The End, It's About Floating Communities
What You’ll Learn From This Podcast
🌊 From Fight to Float: How Dutch engineering is shifting from battling water to embracing it—and how other coastal cities can follow.
🏘️ Floating Cities 101: What they are, how they work, and how they’re being built today.
🧪 Innovation Meets Ecology: The hidden ecosystems growing beneath floating platforms, and why they’re good news for biodiversity.
⚡ Decentralised Resilience: Why floating buildings can be more energy-efficient, flood-resistant, and self-sufficient than traditional ones.
🏗️ From Luxury to Inclusion: Blue21’s pioneering work on the world’s first floating social housing complex.
📈 Tipping Points & Tech Curves: Rutger shares why we may be near an inflection point for global adoption—and what’s holding us back.
📢 A Call to Policymakers: Why mayors and urban planners must show leadership now if we want cities to truly adapt to rising seas.
“With the right leadership, floating communities can become models of ecological, social, and democratic resilience.” Rutger de Graaf
From Fighting Water to Living On It: The Netherlands' Bold Transition
About Rutger de Graaf
Rutger de Graaf is a pioneer in climate resilience, water management, and sustainable urban development.
As co-founder of Blue21, he is a global frontrunner in floating urban development, merging engineering, governance, and sustainability to create climate-adaptive cities on water.
With a background in civil engineering, Rutger has transformed groundbreaking research into real-world projects, such as the Floating Pavilion in Rotterdam and the Bluelands Floating Tiny Office.
A thought leader and keynote speaker, he advocates for innovative, socially embraced, and ecologically sound solutions to global urban challenges.
