Dutch Landscape Architect Highlights Lessons for Texas Coast

Corpus Christi, TX, September 19, 2025.


The keynote lecture by Dutch landscape architect Jasper Hugtenburg was one of the central moments of the 2025 Smart Coast Summit: Coastal Bend Vision 2050. Speaking at the Hilliard Center, Hugtenburg, an associate partner at H+N+S Landscape Architects, drew on more than two decades of experience in water management and coastal resilience to deliver insights highly relevant to the future of Texas’ vulnerable shoreline.

A man stands at a podium while speaking to an audience.
A man stands at a podium while speaking to an audience.
Two men sit at a table, engaging in a discussion.
An image of the Dutch coast, showing a sandy beach.
An image of bridges crossing a waterway.

Photo credits: Dutch aerial photographer Siebe Swart

Hugtenburg is internationally recognized for his role in designing resilient deltas in the Netherlands, including strategies that address sea level rise, river flooding, and land subsidence. His work on projects such as the Sand Motor and Room for the River has demonstrated how nature based solutions and careful design can protect communities while enhancing ecological systems.

“The coastline is not a fixed line but a dynamic gradient between land and sea,” Hugtenburg told summit participants. “Recognizing that complexity opens opportunities for both human settlement and ecological adaptation.”

Connecting Dutch Lessons to Texas

Hugtenburg emphasized that while the Netherlands and Texas differ in geography and culture, they face parallel challenges from rising seas, stronger storms, and industrial pressures along the coast. The Dutch approach, he said, shows how long term planning and integrated design can turn hazards into opportunities. For Texas, applying such principles could mean combining protective infrastructure with restored wetlands, sustainable industry, and resilient coastal towns.

Dr. Oswald Jenewein, co chair of the Smart Coast Initiative, tied Hugtenburg’s message to the region’s international connections. “The link between Corpus Christi and Rotterdam as sister ports reminds us that climate resilience is not an isolated challenge. Jasper Hugtenburg showed how place based solutions in the Netherlands can inspire communities in Texas to rethink their own coastlines.”

Lecture Series Extends to Students

Before appearing in Corpus Christi, Hugtenburg presented his ideas to architecture and urban design students on the University of Texas at Arlington campus on September 17. His lecture encouraged the next generation of designers to see coastlines as laboratories of innovation where engineering, ecology, and community needs converge.

By engaging both professional stakeholders and students within the same week, Hugtenburg’s visit underscored the broader mission of the Smart Coast Initiative: to link academic research, community engagement, and international expertise in addressing climate resilience.