Multi-functional urban design approaches to manage floods: examples from Dutch cities

This practice paper identifies and examines four multi-functional urban design approaches dealing with urban flooding. These combine flood protection measures such as levees and water reservoirs with parking, retail, plazas, and parks. This paper explains the emergence of these multi-purpose solutions to flood management in the Netherlands. It then examines the characteristics of four types, including inland multi-purpose levees, coastal multi-purpose levees, water plazas, and integrated carparks and water reservoirs. It discusses the challenges of these approaches compared to mono-functional flood strategies. Finally, it identifies their potential applicability for urban design activities elsewhere.