We give a Masterclass at the inaugural Swimmable Cities Summit

In June 2025, we were invited to Rotterdam to give a masterclass on New York City’s advancements in urban swimming, as part of the inaugural Swimmable Cities Summit–a global gathering of urban swim advocates, designers, policy folks, and water lovers pushing for safer, cleaner, and more equitable access to urban waterways.

Before the summit even began, we were in the water–literally. One of the firsts activities was a group jump into the Rhine Harbor, which set the tone: joyful, a little wild, and deeply collective.

Our Managing Director Kara Meyer took the plunge (yes, we have video), and we were proud to have Diana Abrunhosa, one of our engineers from Arup, repping our shared work and learning alongside others. It was especially moving to hear how cities like Paris, Basel, and Rotterdam are reclaiming rivers through public investment, design innovation, and community trust.

The general consensus of all the participants was this:

 A Swimmable City is a Healthy City.

And it’s true. We came home feeling more fired up than ever to make NYC’s rivers swimmable again.