Sponge Cities are more than technical solutions to urban flooding–they are dynamic spaces where water, land, and society converge in adaptation and resilience. This study bridges theory and practice through a comparative, cross-case framework that analyzes Sponge City strategies across five Dutch lowland landscape types (coastal, riverine, peat, sandy, clay) and selected international contexts.
Emphasizing scale as a critical dimension, the study explores how blue, green, and blue-green strategies are shaped by ecological conditions and local practices. Beyond hydrological performance, it highlights the often-overlooked social dimension, including community participation, equity, and social resilience.
The research adopts a qualitative, interpretivist methodology, combining within-case and cross-case analysis. It unfolds in two phases: first, a global typology of 38 Sponge City strategies is developed, categorized as green, blue, or green-blue, and analyzed by spatial scale (site, neighborhood, city), sponge basin principles (protect, delay, store, release), and hydrological processes (infiltration, retention, storage, purification, utilization, drainage). The second phase offers an in-depth evaluation of eight Dutch projects across Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Almere, Purmerend, and The Hague, examining ecological, spatial, and social performance through thematic coding and structured comparison.
The findings highlight a gap between the coherence of Sponge City theory and its real-world application, particularly regarding social integration. Successful implementation depends on context-sensitive strategies that go beyond water management to include accessibility, inclusivity, and community engagement. This study contributes to a broader understanding of how human-centered, adaptive design can support climate resilience across diverse urban landscapes, grounding its analysis in a landscape-based Sponge City framework that links Sponge Basin principles (protect, delay, store, release) with lowland landscape typologies and cross-scalar design strategies.
