Vishotels and nature-inclusive solutions
Custom underwater habitats for quay walls, sheet piling and waterbeds. Designed with ecologists for each fish species and robotically made in special mortars.
- Design
- Per target species, with ecologists
- Use
- Quay walls, sheet piling and waterbed
- Maintenance
- Maintenance-free
- Installed
- Including 50 units in Amsterdam
A home for underwater life
Natural hiding places keep disappearing from urban waters, replaced by hard quays, revetments and reinforced banks. Our vishotels bring those places back. Fish find shelter from predators and currents, a place to rest and a place to spawn and grow.
- Developed with ecologists and nature-inclusive experts
- Shape tuned to species such as bullhead, eel and roach
- Contributes to the goals of the Water Framework Directive
Made with Robotic Additive Construction, also known as 3D concrete printing. More about 3D concrete printing
Why these vishotels
Designed per species
Cavities, openings and shapes are tuned to the species that should live there.
Also for algae and mussels
The ribbed structure is a good surface for algae, mussels and other organisms that help clean the water.
Robust and maintenance-free
Stronger than willow-branch habitats, which fall apart when boats pass by.
Better than metal
Metal rusts and is often too smooth for growth. Our special mortars do not have those drawbacks.
Exact fit
Each hotel is made to fit the quay wall, sheet piling or waterbed where it will be placed.
For urban water
Suitable for canals, waterways, harbours, streams and rivers.
Three places underwater
Each type of vishotel is tailored to the structure it becomes part of.
On quay walls
Fixed below the waterline, so hard quays offer living space again.
Between sheet piles
Fitted into the bays of sheet piling, tailored to the profile.
On the waterbed
For the bed of canals, waterways, streams and rivers.
Working towards healthy water
The EU Water Framework Directive requires the Netherlands to bring its surface water up to standard by 2027, as a healthy habitat for plants and animals. There is still a lot to do, and many freshwater fish species are under pressure. Vishotels are a concrete step you can include in any quay or bank renovation.
“These vishotels are placed to give underwater life in the canals a boost. This makes the otherwise hard quay walls more nature-inclusive.”
Isabelle van der WielEcologist, Dura Vermeer
“Innovations like these vishotels are an important step towards restoring biodiversity in urban waters.”
Jorine NoordmanNature-inclusive building expert, City of Amsterdam
Applied in projects
Need something else?
Explore our other product lines or bring your own request. Our robots can make almost any shape.
What shall we build together?
Municipality, water authority or contractor with a challenge in public space? We are happy to help, from feasibility to delivery.