Dobberend Bos Floriade

In 2016, the Dobberende Bos (“Floating Forest”) was “planted” in Rotterdam’s Rijnhaven as an art project and statement on climate change, sustainability, and urban livability. Inspired by the artwork In Search of Habitus by Jorge Bakker, Mothership translated the idea into reality. The trees — Dutch elms — were planted in reused steel buoys from Rijkswaterstaat, underscoring the project’s circular and sustainable character.

After five years in Rotterdam, the Dobberende Bos moved to Almere in 2021 to become part of the Floriade 2022 horticultural exhibition, themed Growing Green Cities. The forest found a new home on the Weerwater, where visitors could admire it from the cable car, by boat, or from the waterfront terraces.

The Dobberende Bos told a powerful story about the urgency of greening and climate adaptation in an increasingly urbanized world. The trees symbolized the importance of CO₂ absorption and improving air quality in cities. The project received international media attention and became a true crowd favorite — both in Rotterdam and later at the Floriade in Almere.