Dutch Water Ways

Forming a basic understanding of how people in the future could live on water required a broad exploration of trends which are currently influencing society and living environment needs. The aging population and the need for smaller living and shared facilities were some of the conclusions of this research, which in collaboration with an architect were translated into a hypothetical floating village plan. Without mobility solutions, this hypothetical living environment on water would never be able to exist in the future, so I saw the development of the required vessels for mobility and transportation as an equally unique challenge.

To convey how a vehicle operates and is used in a far future unfamiliar world, proved to be complex to say the least. It is one thing to envision how a society might live in 2086, but on top of that came the additional challenging factor of a yet non existing way of life on water. A living environment where houses and facilities are separated from each other by the water, presented challenges for its inhabitants in regards to mobility yet unknown in life as we know on land. The design process resulted in a shared autonomous shuttle system, which the inhabitants use to effortlessly mobilize themselves within the floating village and fulfill their daily life needs. The seamless integration with the floating architecture and infrastructure make make that the inhabitants do not perceive the water as a barrier. Futuristic methods for manufacturing and propulsion were referred to, in order to challenge the archetype of a current boat. Aesthetic inspiration was found in nature; by analyzing the stance of the water strider insect, a stable looking vehicle was realized which conveys trust towards its users. In short, it has been a degree topic containing a multi-faceted challenge from which I at the beginning of the project could not foresee the impact.