THE Netherlands is known for its use of dikes, dams and floodgates to protect its cities and suburbs vulnerable to flooding but what about its cattle?
Constantly evolving technology and innovative ideas keep this nation ahead of the eight ball and a company named Goldsmith has made strides towards ensuring its dairy industry continues to thrive with the creation of a floating dairy.
The Floating Farm is a compact, triple stacked structure that houses 40 dairy cows.
Located in the harbour of the M4H development zone in Rotterdam, there are two galleries around the farm’s ‘cow garden’ where visitors can have a peek into the goings on without disturbing the business process.
It most certainly makes for interesting viewing and lovers of innovative architecture get just as big a kick as farming fans.
The dairy’s design is, in essence, an agricultural building based on nautical principles.
Organisation, structural principles and materials are used to enhance the buoyancy and stability.
The result is a stacked organisation that places all heavy structural and technical components in the submerged part of the building.
All significant and transparent functions are situated on a lightweight structure on top.
The result is a three-layer façade ranging from concrete to translucent polycarbonate to entirely open.
The layout consists of three concrete pontoons that house the production of fruits used in the yogurt it produces, as well as rainwater, wastewater recycling and additional installations.
The upper factory floor is where milk and yogurt is processed, feeding systems and manure handling are undertaken and a retail outlet is operated.
The most visually thrilling aspect is its covered cow garden that is supported by a manure cleaning robot and a milking robot along with various elements that take care of animal welfare.  The two galleries around the cow garden are connected vertically by two steel bridges enabling onlookers to see the dairy farming process.