With summer heatwaves getting more intense, Amsterdam isn’t sweating it — it’s getting smart.
The city has launched Schaduwmakers, a project that uses fake trees and movable greenery to stop people from melting into the pavement.
Sounds cool? That’s because it is. 😎
Shade, but smarter
Not all trees need roots. Some just need wheels and a splash of Dutch ingenuity.
Schaduwmakers brings smart, flexible shade to spots where planting trees isn’t possible (looking at you, tangle of underground cables and parking garages 👀).
Think giant sun sails, leafy pergolas, and steel frames covered in climbing plants, some even shaped like trees.
As climate expert Jeroen Kluck explains to RTL Nieuws, these trees don’t just offer shade, they actively cool the air: “A tree can lower the perceived temperature by 10 to 15 degrees.”
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And no, there are no sad, plastic palms here. These are “sustainable, easy-to-move objects that contribute to the liveability of the environment.” 🌱
One standout is a real elm in a high-tech container from The Urban Jungle Project — self-watering, low-maintenance, and ready to roll into any urban overheated corner of the city.
Turning up the heat (and the urgency)
If you’ve spent a summer in the Netherlands, you know that some parts of Amsterdam are open-air ovens. 🥵
The 2019 heatwave made that painfully clear, with record-breaking temperatures hitting a blistering 38.8 degrees Celsius, showing just how hot it can get in the Netherlands. 👇
The #Netherlands just broke a 75-year-old heat record (set in Aug 1944) with a temperature of 38.8°C at #GilzeRijen this afternoon, per @KNMI. But the new record is expected to be short-lived as the #heatwave peaks. pic.twitter.com/NUIdWppa8M
— World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) July 24, 2019
For example, the Oosterdokskade near Central Station regularly hits extreme heights in summer. With no shade, it’s known as a “heat street.”
And this heat isn’t just annoying. The Netherlands sees up to 40 daily deaths due to heat stress during heatwaves, reports the TNO (the Dutch Organisation for Applied Scientific Research).
Plus, as the KNMI (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute) points out, cities like Amsterdam can be up to 7 degrees hotter than nearby green areas.
“We need to cool down using shade and greening,” says Alderman Melanie van der Horst. “This innovation is badly needed.” And frankly, she’s spot on. 👏
Is this the future of cooler cities? Let us know your thoughts: Should every city roll out a shady strategy like Amsterdam’s? 🌿
