Editor’s note: The ULI Health Leaders Network was established in 2017 to connect ULI members across disciplines such as architecture, urban planning, real estate development, and community health. The cohort program establishes working relationships through in-person convenings in world-class cities and monthly virtual meetings. This past April, alumni from the first seven cohorts came together in the Netherlands to learn about efforts there to create healthier and more sustainable buildings and neighborhoods. Participants met with experts and toured innovative projects in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Delft, and Almere.
Are you interested in becoming the next ULI Health Leader? Cohort 9 applications are now open, and we invite you to join this powerful and transformative network. Visit uli.org/healthleaders to learn more about selection criteria, program dates, and the application process.
The Netherlands is internationally celebrated for its people-first approach to urban planning and development: Two thirds of units at new housing developments are required to be affordable, and the nation’s transportation network prioritizes walking and biking over driving. Alumni of the ULI Health Leaders Network found many transformative ideas in modern Dutch cities that merit pursuing back home.
“Social, cultural, economic, and political contexts may vary, [but] there are many lessons from the Netherlands that can be applied to my work,” said James Moore, managing director of Hatch Urban Solutions in Tampa, Florida. “These include focusing on long-term community impact and outcomes, and prioritizing deep involvement in projects rather than just focusing on financial performance.”
During a five-day learning journey, more than 40 alumni explored real estate and infrastructure projects and met with local experts to see firsthand the potential to spark similar changes in the United States, Canada, Germany, and other countries.
Here are their top 10 takeaways from the Netherlands:
1. Public investment unlocks private innovation
Dutch cities often use major public infrastructure investments—especially regarding transit and green space—as the foundation for healthy, vibrant communities that have the density and mix of land uses required to create complete neighborhoods.
One standout example: Hondsrugpark, a redeveloped 1980s office park in southeast Amsterdam. Today, it is a private development of 5,000 homes and 538,000 square feet (50,000 sq m) of office space alongside a new public park, conveniently situated near a metro station and cycling routes.
Other examples include COD Real Estate’s SPOT development, which is transforming an outdated office park into energy-efficient towers featuring homes, offices, shops, and restaurants; and The Ensemble, a tower with a mix of office space and 592 apartments for mixed-income levels. The Ensemble also includes a youth talent center with a 100-seat theater and music studios to nurture performing arts among the area’s young people.
“The intentional density in Dutch community building and transportation was remarkable,” said Bill Mahar, principal at Norris Design in Denver, Colorado. “Policy aspects . . . can be applied to the U.S. in terms of that approach to land use and the built form.”
ULI Health Leaders Alumni also explored Merwede and Martkhal, both examples of how public investment can unlock private innovation. Merwede is a major car-free development in Utrecht that aligns with the city’s Healthy Urban Living Plan, transforming a former industrial site into a sustainable green district with 6,000 homes. Markthal—a sustainable architectural landmark in Rotterdam that was designed by MVRDV—includes a food hall and 228 apartments. The project has drawn millions of visitors since opening in 2014 and has been lauded for the public/private collaboration that led to its success.
2. Make “rigorous greening” the standard
From green roofs to depaving highways, Dutch cities integrate nature everywhere. The Green Mile, a collaboration between six private institutions—including UNS, Heineken, and the Rijksmuseum—is transforming a congested Amsterdam street into a lush, inclusive corridor for people, plants, and animals.
“The Green Mile demonstrated the value of coalition partners and the grass-roots efforts of starting small to make a big difference in your local environment,” said Amanda Mihalko, director of community affairs at Highmark Health in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The impact doesn’t stop in the Netherlands. Jackie Knight, president of the Ackerberg Group, returned home to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and immediately began re-examining her firm’s portfolio with a greening lens: “I’ve also requested a meeting with the mayor to discuss ideas on how to start shifting our city in small ways to make it healthier and greener . . . small grants for homeowners to add greenery, or rethinking how we do public works with a focus on greening.”
3. Health, sustainability, and livability are one and the same
In the Netherlands, health and sustainability aren’t treated as add-ons—they’re fundamental to livable urban design. Dutch developments are born from close collaboration between developers, architects, municipalities, and community stakeholders, all sharing a sense of responsibility to create places that are not only environmentally sound but also socially vibrant and resilient.
A standout example is SAWA, in Rotterdam’s Lloydpier district. Set to be the city’s first fully wooden residential tower, it showcases what’s possible when climate goals are baked into every design decision. With its cascading green terraces, mixed-income housing, and community-oriented amenities, SAWA is as much about decarbonization and ecological stewardship as it is about healthy living.
The numbers tell a compelling story: SAWA’s load-bearing timber sequesters more than 2,200 tons (2,000,000 kg) of CO2—roughly equivalent to the annual electricity use of 2,200 households.
“Mixing densities, encouraging bicycle transportation, promoting mass timber design, creating landmark structures, encouraging innovative land-use patterns, and integrating nature in the city and in projects are all compatible goals,” said Yann Taylor, principal at Field Paoli Architects in San Francisco. In other words, building for people and the planet can—and should—go hand in hand.
Amsterdam’s Booking.com City Campus and TU Delft’s Echo building were examples of how to integrate health and sustainability to create healthy, collaborative, and adaptable work and learning environments. Participants saw firsthand how biophilic design, advanced air filtration, natural light, and energy-positive systems can have a beneficial effect on the quality of life.
4. Flip the transportation hierarchy
The Dutch don’t just accommodate cyclists and pedestrians—they also plan for them. In Utrecht, Catharijnesingel replaced a former highway with a canal and green linear park, creating a climate-adaptive spine for the city that centers on walking and cycling.
Likewise, Amsterdam’s 2050 Comprehensive Vision sets a goal of Amsterdam being entirely a walking and cycling city, where there is “more room for cyclists and pedestrians” and “cars are guests.”
“We are working on various highway removal projects [in the U.S.],” said Brice Maryman, founding principal of MxM Landscape Architecture in Seattle, Washington, “and the examples in Utrecht served as significant inspiration for what can be done.”
Michelle Morrison, a member of the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, was struck by the numbers: “The parking standards for cars in new developments in the Netherlands are as low as 0.3 spaces per unit, while for bikes it’s typically at least two spaces per unit. This is a goal to move towards in the U.S.”
Even drivers in the Netherlands are more satisfied. The country’s focus on bicycles and walking results in greatly reduced traffic congestion and stress across the board.
5. Use storytelling as a planning tool—especially for youth
ULI Health Leaders Alumni learned about efforts to use art and storytelling to bring people—especially young people—into planning conversations. METRO 010, a graphic novel launched by Ellen Schindler and authored by Abdelkader Benali, uses visuals and poetry to trace Rotterdam’s past and imagine its future. The book is geared toward a young audience, and it has become part of the local school curriculum.
“I was really struck by Ellen Schindler’s creativity and leadership within her firm, and also in reaching a broader audience,” said Kathleen Gregory of Kathleen Gregory Consulting LLC in Chicago. “In my own work, I recognize opportunities to showcase community-driven initiatives that have the potential to inspire and grow.”
Beatriz Guerrero Auna, representing the Bay Area city of Richmond, California, added: “I will start connecting with artists who want to work on methods to share ideas with youth and the community to participate in placemaking.”
6. Make the healthy choice the default choice
The Dutch Cycling Embassy, a public/private initiative, helps export Dutch expertise in cycling and cycling infrastructure to cities worldwide. A central message is that the Netherlands didn’t always have a bike culture. It was built through deliberate decisions and sustained investments. Today, more than a quarter of all trips in the Netherlands are made via bicycle.
“The most important takeaway for me is that culture and behavior are the results of intentional decisions,” said Francesqca Jimenez, a senior social scientist at HDR in Omaha, Nebraska. “Someone pointed out that the Netherlands was not always a cycling country, but specific decisions were made, and infrastructure was created that led to the cycling culture we see and experience today.”
7. Plan for growth by starting with health
In Utrecht—a city experiencing rapid population growth—planners are leading with health outcomes in mind. The Utrecht 2040 Healthy Urban Living Plan focuses on building affordable homes in green, connected neighborhoods—while tracking health with such metrics as healthy life years, not merely life expectancy.
“This is one of my first exposures to planning and land use outside of the U.S.,” said Leslie Meehan, director, special projects, at the Tennessee Department of Health. “I am amazed at not only what is possible but [also at] what is common practice—care for society and the environment, quality of life. This trip is a professional game-changer for me.”
Mihalko of Highmark Health added: “Both my wife [a data scientist and epidemiologist] and I will be bringing back the idea, shared by the municipality in Utrecht, of measuring ‘healthy years’ as a different metric to understand the health of communities.”
Almere, a city near Amsterdam that was planned in the 1970s to address housing shortages, showed the importance of balancing varying priorities. Development in Almere has prioritized green space and sustainability to enhance residents’ quality of life. The Almere 2.0 plan builds on this effort by guiding the city’s expansion with a framework that preserves distinct districts separated by green and blue spaces.
8. Embrace biodiversity and circular design
Dutch developments aren’t designed just for people—they’re also designed for natural ecosystems. At Delft’s Professor Schoemaker Plantage, a former car crash test site is being transformed into a 700-home community that considers livability not just for humans but also for plants and animals. The design prioritizes acoustic comfort, green infrastructure, and climate-resilient landscaping that integrates indigenous trees such as willow, alder, and poplar. Wildlife accommodations, including swallow nesting spaces, are also part of the plan.
“The ecological focus on development was refreshing,” said Leroy Moore, senior vice president/COO of the Tampa Housing Authority. “It is important to repopulate communities with native animals, insects, and birds, along with plant life indigenous to the area.”
9. Combat social isolation through greener, people-centered planning
In the Netherlands, addressing social isolation is a deliberate part of the urban planning process. The Amsterdam 2050 Comprehensive Vision embraces a “green by default” approach to create natural, interactive public spaces. It explains how adding green spaces—including community gardens, playgrounds, dog parks, and shared courtyards—can contribute significantly to social interaction, bonding, and reducing loneliness by offering welcoming, shared environments where people of all ages and backgrounds can connect. Similarly, the Professor Schoemaker Plantage development in Delft was seeded with a small park to foster early community connections.
“My organization is focusing more on addressing social isolation at a societal and individual level,” said Matt Aliberti, senior director at YMCA of the USA, based in Alexandria, Virginia. “Planning is deliberate, community-led, and leverages both public and private sectors. The Dutch approach helped me understand how physical context can shape connection.”
ULI Health Leaders Alumni also visited Funenpark, a residential development in Amsterdam that transformed a former industrial site into a car-free district with about 550 homes. Funenpark promotes social connectedness by including shared communal open space. The integration of an elementary school and absence of automobile traffic make the area safe for children to play, thus encouraging physical activity and social interaction.
10. Align values with action
In Amsterdam, such values as equity, prevention, and well-being aren’t just talking points—they also shape policy and investment. The Amsterdam Economic Board is tackling systemic health challenges through cross-sector collaboration that links workplace wellness, preventive health care, and local innovation. The board’s road map aligns stakeholders—from insurers to governments—with a shared commitment to healthier outcomes.
The board established a regional coalition that is strengthening collaboration and knowledge-sharing around four key areas: promoting employer-led health initiatives, supporting prevention-focused startups through strategic matchmaking, using data and digital tools to model prevention outcomes, and addressing health at the neighborhood level through community-based approaches.
“Values are important and were shared in almost every presentation to help align with a larger purpose,” said Gautami Palanki, SVP of ESG Strategy at Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. in The Woodlands, Texas.
ULI Health Leaders Network Alumni experienced firsthand how healthier, greener, and more equitable cities don’t happen by accident. They are the result of bold public investments, deep collaboration, and a relentless focus on people. ULI appreciates all of the local Dutch experts who shared their insights and armed ULI alumni with new knowledge, better tools, and a renewed commitment to socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable development.
