Rotterdam, Ho Chi Minh City go on the flood defensive
In a unique East-West collaboration, the river delta cities of Rotterdam and Ho Chi Minh City have united to keep their heads above water, writes Beth Gardiner
Rotterdam is Europe's largest port, a gritty Dutch metropolis with a long history as a commercial hub and a flair for modern architecture. Ho Chi Minh City, half a world away in Vietnam, is a fast-growing megacity clogged with motorbikes; an extraordinary mixture of old and new, rich and poor.
Different as they seem, the two cities have something crucial in common. Both sit on river deltas and are defined - and increasingly threatened - by their relationship with water. Perched near coasts astride major rivers, with tributaries running through neighbourhoods, these two port cities are on the front lines of climate change.
Now they are coming together in an unusual partnership, sharing coping strategies as their positions grow more perilous. Rotterdam, with long experience in flood management, is advising Ho Chi Minh City on the development and implementation of a climate-adaptation plan to help the Vietnamese city avoid disaster as sea levels rise and the frequency and severity of storms increase.
This east-west collaboration could hold important lessons for flood-threatened cities around the world. Ho Chi Minh City and Rotterdam are both seeking to strike a balance between the two main approaches to flood protection: bolstering expensive, hard protections while also "making room for the river" - creating space for water to run without damaging developed areas. Added to the mix are new ideas such as dotting flood zones with playgrounds that can hold run-off water when needed.
For all the cities' differences, says Alexandra van Huffelen, Rotterdam's vice-mayor for sustainability, Ho Chi Minh City "really felt the same [as us]; the same issues arose". Its leaders initially sought Rotterdam's advice because, she recalls, they saw the Dutch city was also grappling with "more water coming down the river at unexpected times, problems with extreme rainfall, rising sea levels, salinisation levels and issues with groundwater - exactly the same issues they were facing."
In truth, Rotterdam and Ho Chi Minh City share similar DNA, each bustling with the energy typical of a business-minded shipping hub. Unlike other Dutch cities, whose streets are lined with graceful, centuries-old homes, Rotterdam was nearly flattened in the second world war, and it has rebuilt itself with a modern sensibility. Rem Koolhaas' new De Rotterdam megatower is the latest example of its architectural ambitions.