Flow food city is a place where the future nature of Rotterdam can be tasted. Flow food city researches the potential of consumable nature in the fresh waters of the city center.

Rotterdam Water City
Water and nature have always played a significant role in the urban development of the city of Rotterdam. Both the Rotte and Schie rivers flow into the green delta of the river Maas. The city landscape of Rotterdam was built on the dams of the Rotte and Schie, embracing this area. In later times the green delta became more urbanised due to trade and transport developing into a bustling harbour port. The previously 'green heart' of the city was displaced outwards and a ring of horticultural nurseries and country houses was realised around the city. In the beginning of the 19th century the natural aspect of the river in the city was developed further when a network of greened canals was introduced into the cityscape. They provided surface drainage and waste water disposal as well as serving as green linear recreational spaces.

Future developments
Due to climate changes the water levels and quality will dramatically alter. Low lying polder cities such as Rotterdam will have to manage their own fresh water supply, lying isolated on a fresh water lens surrounded by a brackish landscape. This gives the opportunity to once again produce consumable fresh water crops in rivers like the Rotte. Forgotten crops will enrich the city landscape with exuberance: watercress, rocket salad, spoonwort and water lettuce green the city, being at the same time part of a production landscape. City-Flow-Food visualises, by means of a plant nursery with a trial greenhouse, the nature rich future of Rotterdam-Water City.