A Dutch designer has proposed a new floating installation that combines a wave pool with a water purification system aimed at improving the water quality in Amsterdam’s canals. The news comes after a story last month on WavePoolMag about the Surf Park Amsterdam project which proposed a Surf Loch system in the same location.
Two Project Proposals. Only One Canal
Surf Pill (and Surf Park Amsterdam) are some of several proposals for Amsterdam Denk Mee, a civic initiative where residents vote on projects to enhance sustainability, health, and urban livability. It is proposed for the Johan van Hasseltkanaal in North Amsterdam.
Surf Pill is banking that their compact, floating surf pool housed in a glass greenhouse, that purifies canal water using a newly patented system, will win community votes.
Frederik van Os is developing the concept and describes Surf Pill as different because it’s a “surf greenhouse” designed for use in shallow and stagnant urban waterways.
“The other initiatives share a general location and theme, but they differ in scope and function,” Frederik told WavePoolMag. “Surf Pill positions itself not as a competitor, but as a complementary, scalable alternative — one that addresses urban water quality as well as recreation.”
What is Surf Pill
According to van Os, the floating structure will use both wave-generation and purification technologies to enable safe water recreation while improving ecological conditions in the surrounding canal environment.
Van Os has submitted the idea to Amsterdam Denk Mee, a civic innovation platform, where it is open to public voting, along with other projects, through July 31. If the initiative receives sufficient support, he plans to build a prototype near Johan van Hasseltboulevard in Amsterdam-Noord within six months.
Partnerships and Design Specifications
“We’re working with YourWave, the New Zealand-based wave tech specialist, to build a custom standing wave based on their technology,” added Frederik van Os. “Surf Pill will house the wave in a glass-vaulted floating structure, which we’ve also visualized in an AI concept image. Think urban surfing meets greenhouse.”
The facility standing wave will be created by pumping water over a custom-shaped bottom to generate a continuous, stationary surfable wave. According to van Os, the setup is intended to be accessible for beginners and may also serve training purposes for more experienced surfers.
The purification component of the platform incorporates a patented technology supplied by FishFlow Innovations. The system is designed to aerate and refresh canal water, increasing oxygen levels to stimulate aquatic plant growth and overall biodiversity. The technology also targets the reduction of contaminants such as blue-green algae and E. coli, which have been recently flagged as health concerns by the Municipal Health Service (GGD).
Environmental and Structural Elements
The surf greenhouse will be built on a floating platform designed by Waterstudio.NL, an architecture firm with experience in water-based construction projects in locations including Dubai and the Maldives. The greenhouse enclosure is intended to reduce noise and enable year-round operation. An EU patent application for the full system has been submitted.
Water quality in Amsterdam’s canals has declined in recent years, with national surface water bodies continuing to fall short of European environmental standards. The city has experienced repeated issues with pollutants, including recent spikes in E. coli and algal blooms.
“As a designer, I look for solutions that tackle multiple problems at once,” said Van Os. “Amsterdam could become the first city in the world with a surf spot that actively contributes to cleaner water.”
Wave Pools in The Netherlands
As mentioned, another proposal for the exact same location is underway to build a new Surf Loch-powered wave pool. Meanwhile, Rotterdam’s RiF010 urban wave tank—also powered by SurfLoch—in the city center is on its second year and recently won an award for its community-focused design. SurfPoel, an indoor wave pool project in The Hague, was short lived and closed last year.
Despite the setback of SurfPoel, wave pools are becoming a valid option for urban renewal, especially in “wet” cities.
