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The Fluctoforum is a floating forum that temporarily anchors at a specific location wherever it is needed, before sailing on to the next site elsewhere in the country. Its spatial configuration -with more than five distinct stages, bespoke design elements, and a constantly shifting environment- actively supports a legitimate and effective decision-making process.

Combined with a facilitation-based model of governance rather than one led by a traditional chairperson, these conditions may increase the likelihood of balanced decisions grounded in interdependency and experiences of deep democracy. The aim is to foster interaction and commitment somewhere between top-down and bottom-up approaches. Exchange takes precedence over persuasion, with the perspectives of minorities explicitly included through consent-based decision-making.

The Fluctoforum is deployed not only for on-site exchange between stakeholders, (experiential) experts, representatives of Rijkswaterstaat, and the regional Water Authorities, but also navigates the waterways to the “scene of the event” in the aftermath of disasters or flooding.

Realisation could be achieved by converting decommissioned vessels from the national government fleet. Based on practical use, available budget, and contextual requirements, further choices would be made regarding roofing, material selection, electric propulsion, navigation, and control systems. Prototype setups and hands-on experience “on dry land” are essential to inform the sketch-design phase; see also Other: Manabas.

With special thanks to: Erna Oova, Helen Nieuweboer(RWS) and Inge Wallage (WUR)

 

Publication Rijkswaterstaat: