We started our day by taking a tour of DakAkker, a 1,000 m^2 rooftop farm that grows various plants, vegetables, edible flowers, and fruit. The farm covers the top of the Schieblock in Rotterdam. For structural reasons, the soil on the top of the building must not be too heavy; the farm uses a mixture of soils and lava substrate from volcanoes in Germany. This is not only a good lightweight option but also helps the plants receive oxygen and nutrients and helps drain the soil, preventing waterlogging.

After seeing DakAkker, we took a tour of the surrounding city. Many of the neighborhoods feature various water management solutions to help prevent flooding in the city. This included the redirection of rainwater, rainwater collection, and composted soil. These additions were built into the infrastructure of the city and did not create any inconveniences. After seeing these, I realized I have not seen much like this in Pittsburgh. I feel that during heavy rains, our campus would benefit greatly from adding some of these, especially water redirection. Streets often flood and are inconvenient to cross when we experience rainstorms.

After this, we got on a bus and drove to the Watersnood Museum. This Museum is dedicated to the 1953 North Sea flood, which was a catalyst for the Oosterscheldekering, which we visited yesterday. It showcases the disaster’s history, impact, and the country’s innovations against floods. Our tour guide had experienced the flood as a young girl and was able to convey the gravity of the situation and how it had impacted her personally. We viewed retrieved artifacts, interactive flooding maps, and memorials to commemorate the people who were lost in the flood.

Upon returning to the hotel, we decided to go to a nearby food market. The market featured a variety of different food vendors as well as a curved ceiling structure. The windows in the ceiling peer into apartments that overlook the market.