Vishotels Amsterdam & Artis
Custom vishotels in the Amsterdam canals, and now also in the new Artis aquarium.
- Location
- Amsterdam canals and Artis Aquarium
- Product
- Custom vishotels (fish hotels)
- Design
- Neolithic Robotic and Dura Vermeer, together with ecologists
- Application
- Nature-inclusive quay walls
Our vishotels are already in place in several Amsterdam canals. Since June 2026 they can also be seen in the new aquarium at Artis, where everyone can see up close what normally stays hidden below the waterline. The first guests have already checked in.
Why vishotels?
In cities, the places where fish shelter, spawn and grow up are disappearing behind hard quays and sheet piling. At the same time, the Water Framework Directive requires all Dutch water to be a good habitat for its native plants and animals by 2027.
Designed per target species
We design every vishotel with ecologists and produce it robotically to suit the location and target species. Organic shapes and ribbed structures offer shelter from predators and currents, room to spawn and a safe place for young fish. Algae and mussels attach to the structure. The hotels are robust, maintenance-free and last longer than willow or metal constructions.
Fifty hotels beneath the Jacob Catskade
In December 2024, fifty vishotels were placed beneath the Jacob Catskade, developed with Dura Vermeer and the City of Amsterdam. Cameras monitor which species move in, such as the endangered European bullhead. There are variants for quay walls, sheet piling and the waterbed. For the narrow Artis aquarium we produced a model in three separate parts.
How a vishotel works
Configure your own
Read more about vishotels for your quay or bank on our Vishotels page.
“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
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.