Rijnvliet – This neighbourhood is delicious.

A 150,000 m² food forest in the middle of a residential area? In Utrecht, this is a reality. On the initiative of residents, the new Rijnvliet neighbourhood became an urban food forest with more than 1,000 (fruit) trees and 200 species of edible flora. The design, by Felixx Landscape Architects & Planners, De Zwarte Hond and Æ Food Forestry Development, combines ecosystem services, climate adaptation and social cohesion, and helps residents reconnect with nature.

 

 

 

What began as a standard housing project grew into a climate-proof, edible neighbourhood through a unique participatory process. The collaboration between residents and the municipality led to a landscape that promotes community spirit, especially during planting and harvesting. Shared responsibility has made the neighbourhood healthier, more cohesive and more resilient.

 

 

Inspired by the food forest, residents plant edible crops in their own gardens and start educational, recreational and nature-inclusive projects. Each part of the neighbourhood has its own identity, with a central park connecting all the elements. The park contains playgrounds, a football pitch and an outdoor classroom; all integrated into the food forest concept. Visitors can taste and learn about everything the neighbourhood has to offer via street signs and an app.

The establishment of a special maintenance team, facilitated by the municipality and trained in caring for the extraordinary greenery, was essential.

In addition to recreational benefits, the food forest enhances biodiversity, improves water management and air quality, and helps combat heat stress. Rijnvliet demonstrates that, with the right knowledge, edible landscapes are possible anywhere – in both new and existing neighbourhoods. Rijnvliet proves that a nature-inclusive residents’ initiative is a win-win situation for everyone. The neighbourhood was recently awarded the Dezeen award in the category Landscape and urban design project of the year 2025, having already won several other awards: 2023 Dame Sylvia Crowe International, 2023 LOOP Design Awards, 2023 WLA Honour Award and 2021 Innovation in Politics Award.

Felixx Landscape Architects & Planners

Felixx Landscape Architects and Planners is a Rotterdam-based office for proactive landscape architecture founded in 2014. Felixx believes a better world requires a better organization of our environment. We specialize in addressing urgent global challenges with locally embedded design solutions. Our work has a broad international scope and our projects range from spatial research, landscape transformation strategies and masterplans, to public space and product design. The office is named after Felixx – a fictional character we invented. A modest hero, Felixx travels the world looking for opportunities to realize happy environments.

www.felixx.nl