"New Dutch": Innovation meets heritage
As autumn leaves dance along Rotterdam’s striking skyline or the winter frost glazes Eindhoven’s design districts, during these quieter months for travel, the Netherlands offers a lot. Come experience “New Dutch” — a revolutionary movement showcasing how Dutch innovation reshapes urban landscapes while honoring centuries of ingenuity.
Specifically, Rotterdam, having risen from its World War II devastation, is the epitome of Dutch architectural daring. In May 2025, the city celebrates a milestone when the Fenix Museum of Migration opens, housed in a transformed warehouse from which thousands of Europeans departed for the Americas. This architectural marvel, perched on the historic Katendrecht peninsula, interweaves the past and future through its striking design, which features a suspended glass gallery offering panoramic views of the Maashaven.
The city’s response to climate challenges has transformed Rotterdam into a living laboratory of sustainable urban development. Visitors can explore the world’s largest floating office building, the OFF Shore. It adapts to rising water levels while generating its own energy. The recently completed Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, with its mirrored, bowl-shaped exterior reflecting the city’s skyline, represents the world’s first publicly accessible art storage facility.
As Rotterdam’s port operations gradually migrate seaward, the freed urban spaces have become incubators for innovative projects. The Hofbogen, a former elevated railway line, has been reimagined as a linear park dotted with rain gardens and urban farming initiatives, offering visitors a unique perspective on how cities can adapt historic infrastructure to contemporary needs.
In Eindhoven, Dutch Design Week (October 21-29, 2025) transforms the former industrial city into a buzzing creative hub. This year’s edition emphasizes “Circular Futures,” showcasing how Dutch designers are pioneering sustainable solutions through technology and craftsmanship. The former Philips factory complexes, now vibrant creative districts, host exhibitions where visitors can experience firsthand how Dutch innovation addresses global challenges.
Throughout autumn and winter, both cities offer unique perspectives on the Netherlands’ evolution. Rotterdam’s Floating Farm demonstrates urban agriculture’s future, producing dairy products in a sustainable, city-center location. Meanwhile, Eindhoven’s Light Route illuminates dark winter evenings with installations that merge art, technology, and sustainability — a perfect metaphor for the New Dutch movement itself.
The New Dutch movement proves that innovation isn’t about erasing history but building upon it. Whether you’re watching winter storms from Rotterdam’s iconic Erasmus Bridge or experiencing the future of urban living in Eindhoven’s Brainport Smart District, you’ll discover a country where each architectural statement and design solution carries forward a centuries-old tradition of creative problem-solving.
