Human beings are filling the oceans with tons of plastic, which seriously affects marine ecosystems and our own health. In the Dutch city of Rotterdam, they have made this global problem visible by creating a 140 m2 floating park made from waste collected in the waters and shores of the port. The park also serves as a micro-habitat for plants, small terrestrial fauna, and fish.

“Recycled Park”, the result of a collaboration between the Recycled Island Foundation and WHIM Architecture with the Rotterdam City Council, it consists of 28 floating hexagons that have been made from waste collected by installing nets in the water and the work of volunteers on the shores. In addition to providing a new space for the port, and making visible the value of recycled and reused material, the hexagons are covered with vegetation, serving as a habitat for birds, snails, insects, and worms. The submerged part of the blocks, for its part, serves as a place for the spawning of fish.