Utrecht, The Netherlands
Food forests are gaining popularity, but a 150,000 m² food forest right in the heart of a residential neighborhood is truly unique.
In one of the five largest cities in the Netherlands, this has now become a reality.
Initiated by its residents, the Rijnvliet neighborhood in Utrecht has been transformed into an urban food forest, featuring over 1000 (fruit) trees and 200 species of edible flora.
It is a space where ecosystem services, climate adaptation measures, and the promotion of social cohesion seamlessly intersect.
Rijnvliet, Edible Neigborhood by Felixx Landscape Architects & Planners, won a 2026 Green Good Design Award from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design, and Urban Studies.
What truly makes Rijnvliet an enjoyable and edible environment is the engaged residents.
They organize local markets, host jam-tasting events with fruits they’ve personally picked, and bake pizzas with herbs grown in the neighborhood.
The food forest principle extends into private gardens, where residents plant their own edible greenery.
Various educational, recreational, and nature-inclusive initiatives have been launched, such as guided tours and wild-picking courses.
These activities continually add new value to the original design.
Local children are involved in the food forest by participating in tree planting days, and the nearby school has even appointed a “food forest teacher” to offer lessons about the edible neighborhood.
New residents receive a cookbook to help them use the local, edible plants in their daily lives.
Beyond residents, passersby and visitors are also welcome to move freely throughout the neighborhood, sampling the diverse offerings.
Street signs and a custom app provide details about the local flora—what to eat and when to harvest.
Public amenities like the soccer field and playgrounds are also freely accessible to everyone.
Crucial to the success of this project was the establishment of a dedicated maintenance team, trained by the municipality to care for the unique greenery.
Since the vegetation is designed in multiple layers that form an integrated ecosystem, it requires specialized care and management to ensure its longevity.
The project strikes an ultimate balance between humans and nature, reconnecting residents with their environment.
In addition to its edible and recreational benefits, the greenery also enhances the area’s ecosystem services, such as water management, heat reduction, and air purification.
The neighborhood employs innovative climate adaptation measures, including an amphibian pool, water retention areas, and integrated rainwater infiltration systems in the paving.
Overall, it offers a rich natural experience, fostering biodiversity and providing habitats for birds, bats, and other species.
The good news is that the food forest model can be applied in both existing and new neighborhoods.
By planting a diverse range of edible plants in multiple layers, this concept can be replicated elsewhere with the expertise of the right professionals.
Equally important is actively listening to residents throughout the process, ensuring the community remains at the heart of the transformation.
Open collaboration between residents, stakeholders, experts, and the municipality ensures the neighborhood reflects local needs, fosters ownership, and remains resilient over time.
Rijnvliet proves that a nature-inclusive, community-driven approach benefits everyone.
Project: Rijnvliet, Edible Neigborhood
Landscape Architects: Felixx Landscape Architects & Planners
Lead Architect: Deborah Lambert
Master Planner: De Zwarte Hond
Treetop Walk Designers: Anouk Vogel
Consultants: Æ Food Forestry Development
General Contractor: Van Wanrooij Bouwbedrijf BV
Client: The Municipality of Utrecht
Photographs: Courtesy of Felixx Landscape Architects & Planners, Jeroen Musch, Hedayat Amid and Dirk Verwoerd
