Building in the Landscape: Twente, The Netherlands

Secondyear project led by architect Judith Korpershoek (www.architectenbureau-k2.nl)

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Een utopisch model voor een leefgemeenschap by Annelies Bloemendaal

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Esch 2.0 by Esther Brun

The landscape of the province of Overijssel can be characterized as one of chambers and eschen. Historically the esch was used as a place for agricultural use. People used manure to enhance the fertility of the soil. During the day sheep would roam the heath lands. In the evening they returned to the barn where the manure could be collected to enrich the esch. Due to this process the esch became more and more prominent in the landscape as the soil raised higher and higher. Traditionally the esch is located between a few adjoining properties they were communally used for the growth of vegetables. The earlier mentioned chambers are formed by hedgerows and tree lanes which provided a natural barrier for the life stock.

The esch 2.0 embodies all elements of the traditional landscape; however they are combined and condensed into a rather compact landscape. The new and improved esch is placed on the fundaments of a historic esch. By doing this the landscape adjusts itself to modern needs. The design proposal exists of three new esches with each an individual function, all placed in a wide heater fields. Around this heather field a ribbon of trees is introduced to perform as a barrier between the new modern day production landscape and its surroundings. This also provides a natural barrier for the sheep. The two esches assigned as vegetable and herb garden are lined with a hedgerow and lay organically placed in the heather field. The esch in which the building is incorporated also provides for an orchard which is accessible for the sheep.

A wool felting artist and her family are full time residents of the esch. In this manner different generations live side by side on one property. Together they manage the creative company which focuses on the exchange of knowledge and art. The family keeps approximately 200 sheep, all for the benefit of the wool production used in the felting process. The wool is died according to a natural practice by the usage of plants and herbs. These plants have their own “chamber” on the esch 2.0 as well as the organic vegetable garden.

The family, guests and sheep al l find shelter in the centrally positioned esch. Here a new farmstead is introduced by the particular placement of building volumes only partially incorporated in the esch. On three locations emphasis is placed on higher points, these elements draw the courtyard together. Next to the entrance the first accent manifests itself; this part of the building is the gallery and workshop. On top there is a magnificent lookout point to oversee the entire esch 2.0. The second accent is formed by the restaurant that hovers above the ground giving way to a large (drinking) pond. The third is the sheep shed that slightly sticks out above the esch. This way the building is also recognizable from the landscape. The entire building is oriented on the court yard where people and animals gather. This stimulates the interaction between user and producer. The building represents the different stages between a community and the individual by the expression of the above mentioned accents.

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Innofarm by Mathé van Kranenburg

The Innofarm comes from a counter-movement against the trend of agricultural Overijssel. The surface of this province consists of 71% agriculture and 14% nature area. The current issue of the province is beginning shrink by a decrease in agricultural population and a corresponding low score on innovation. This trend is partly explained by the small size of the typical ‘coulissen’ landscape (referring to the curtains of a theater) that has preserved in the great land consolidations in the rest of the Netherlands.

To stimulate innovation and growth of the agricultural potential the Innofarm is created, an experimental farm for crops, linked to agricultural education and research on (inter-) national scale. The size of a experimental farm with many different, small, trial fields fits perfect in the small-scale landscape of the region Twente.
The Innofarm is formed by a community that responds flexibly to the different needs of an experimental farm. There are three households permanently on the farm. Besides the permanent occupation there is room for four temporary homes, which meet the changing needs of farming and the educational part.

The building of the Innofarm accommodates the community. By combining all functions in a single building strengthens the link of the residents with the surrounding land and the farm. A shared inner space adds to the bond with the company and is the starting point for the activities. The building fits with his character and use of materials in the area with its many traditional farms. At the same time the building is modern and has its own style.

Glimpses of process: videos from the Lingestreek Project Workshops

These videos can all be watched on the youtube page of Living Landscape AvB:

http://www.youtube.com/user/LivingLandscapeAvB/videos

New Landscapes for the Lingestreek

This rural landscape planning studio will bring together students, landscape researchers, and community members

to explore ways of increasing landscape identity and coherence in the Lingestreek, the area along the Linge River between Arnhem and Rhenen, south of the Rhine and north of the A15. Here a traditional landscape of large dairy farms is being replaced by new modes of production based on large-scale orchard
and tree production. This has brought rapid changes to both landscape structure and rural lifeways; as yet, however, no coherent landscape narrative has emerged in response to this transformation.

Students will address this lack of coherence by designing landscape changes that provide a more legible environment for both residents and visitors, one in which the complex formal and functional relationships between global networks and local places are made explicit and visible. This will mean increasing landscape legibility and regional ‘branding’ in creative ways that begin to resolve the tension between local traditions and history, on one hand, and integration with global commodity chains, on the other. The ultimate goal of the studio is to show the lineaments of a living rural landscape for the twenty-first century, one that is economically, ecologically, and socially sustainable in the long term.

The following slideshow shows the first site visit in February. The class was able to meet with and hear the different perspectives of farmers, local political representatives working for the municipality, as well as nature conservancy and maintenance groups.

Coordinator:
Thomas Oles, Lecturer of Landscape, AvB
Collaborators:
Roelf de Boer, Agrarische Natuur Vereniging Lingestreek; Maike van Stiphout, DS Landschapsarchitecten; Jørgen Primdahl, University of Copenhagen; Marieke Timmermans, Head of Landscape, AvB Amsterdam, Jacques Abelman, Living Landscape Research Group Assistant

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Exploring the Daugava River in Latvia

Currently in Latvia the average annual income is € 3214.00 per inhabitant. The situation is challenging and the future uncertain. Creating viable futures will require strong vision and constructive interventions through time that also function on a larger scale.

The Daugava River and its environment are central to this task. This river (total length of 1,020 km) which originates in Russia has been the main trade route between Latvia and the East since time immemorial. It is also known as “the river of fate.”  The task of the design studio will be to create a new destiny that will offer a new perspective, where the landscape will serve as an economic engine.

2nd year studio project with teacher Joyce van den Berg   (www.studio-berg.net)

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Welcome to the Daugava by Esther Brun

Welcome to the Daugava-Kolchoz experience.

This trail has been created to provide you with a unique experience of Latvia’s culture and history placed in a idyllic landscape setting. The trail leads along the Daugava river that was once an important waterway for transport. Today the river has a role of different importance; it generates power. Three huge dames were created during the communistic domination of Russia creating large lakes at each dame.

The total route stretches out over approximately 295 km but it is also segregated in four separate routes differing in length. You can start your hike at any given point along the north side of the Daugava as this side is best accessible by train departing from Riga. Starting points are: Ogre, Kegums, Auziskraukle , Koknese and Jekapils.

The trail leads you during the day across rural Latvia, along fields and panoramic views over the Daugava river. The nights you spend in former Kolchozen; Russian industrial farms from the soviet era. These huge landmarks that stand as silent witnesses in Latvia’s landscape have been retrofitted for diverse functions. Once they were remnants of a negative inheritance; today they provide employment and education to the local people. At these Kolchozen you get a unique opportunity to interact with the locals and learn about Latvia and its history first hand. For each Kolchoz a different function has been selected, suitable for the local population and interesting to you as a visitor. You get the opportunity to see craftsmen at work, visit a market with traditional foods and goods or have a fresh brew pint at the new organic brewery.

The trail is recognizable by its custom-made path of concrete slabs with Lielvarde pattern relief and handcrafted poles that make sure the route is also identifiable in wintertime. Along the trail birch trees have been planted to create a ribbon thru the landscape. In total four different types of birch trees have been selected each with a specific purpose and meaning. The basis of the ribbon is composed of Betula pubescens. Sometimes the trail needs a focus point- this is provided by the use of the Betula papyrifea which can reach between the 20 and 25 meters in height. Leading up to the Kolchozen the ribbon tightens into a lane. Around the kolkhoz, Betula Ermanii “blush” will be planted to connect these hubs of activity and social interaction to the trail. In the country side Betula Nigra is added around private estates to emphasize the small residencies but also to provide for privacy.

You can choose to commence this trip at any time during the year, as it is also accessible during the winter and perfect for cross-country skiing.

Make sure to collect all your marks along the trail this will enable you to pick up a special patch for your backpack at your finish point. Marks can be collected by tracing over the relief into your trail guide.

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REPEAT by Esther van der Tuin

RE-PEAT

Latvia is an amazing country with a long history and a rich culture. But it has also a history full of war and domination. The last occupation by the USSR, changed the river Daugava and the surrounded landscape visibly. The marks the USSR left in the landscape still have their influence:

- Cultural sites, recreation and nature have been destroyed because of the biggest hydraulic power plant of the EU, which made the water level of the Daugava rise with 40 meters.

- A lot of raw materials have been extracted and land drained because of the higher water level of the Daugava.

- The area is not profitable enough as agricultural land and is practically abandoned.

By transforming the agricultural land back into peat land, culture and traditions will be gently restored step by step.  The marks will become chances to transform this area into a valuable productive landscape. When the peat district is ready for production, the wounds of the USSR will be vanished and the reclamation will bring up at least 350 mln. LvL (430 mln. euro), that would be 5 mln. LvL a year till the peat has reached its final stage.

The location of the peat districts is based on the position of former peat lands.  The shape is extracted from the measurement that the USSR used for production land.

The slow development of peat creates a valuable divers nature and recreational landscape that will return the Latvian identity to this one so- loved area by the Latvians.

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Grow in Time by Evelien de Mey

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The ARCHIPEL of the Baltic States by Frank Zuilekom

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Biking Plavinu by Mathé van Kranenburg

The Daugava river forms the main corridor in Latvia. Along the Daugava the country is the most densely populated, the most important infrastructural connections follow the river. Because of the river a lot of productional farmlands and woodlands are developed along the banks. The River itself turned into the most important electricity source for the country.

In the cities and villages along the Daugava a lot of the culture heritage of the country is kept. There are a lot of possibilities for tourism in the area. However, the development of tourism is hold back by the current lack of adequate infrastructure and tourism marketing: lacking is operationally up-to-date information on accommodation, tourist sites, active recreation possibilities and services.

The project Biking Plavinu is a touristic biking route which leads through the natural landscape of the Daugava river and villages with typical Latvian cultural elements. The route is part of a large scale biking-route system along the Daugava river. By connection the culture and landscape of the area around Plavinu reservoir tourists are being able to experience the true historical and actual Latvia.

The start point of the route is Aizkraukle, which is acces­sible by train, highway and the connection bike routes along the Daugava. From this town the route leads you in five hours over the biggest dam in the Daugava, over the highest point of the region, through the historical village of Sece. After this through the lowlands of Secene to the Staburags rock memorial, along the Daugava to ‘Liktendarz’ memorial island and in-between point Koknese (3 hour trip), which also has possibilities to stay the night and is also accessible by train or highway.

In Koknese there are several churches but main attractor is the Castle ruins and the park. The route continues through typical Latvian farmlands and the Kaplava orthodox church back to Aizkraukle in which you can find a lot of museums, churches and cultural elements.

Ghanascapes

This third year student project was a collaboration between the  Amsterdam Academy of Architecture, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology – Ghana, and the  Ho – Polytechnic, Ghana.

This project aimed to stimulate innovative thinking about architecture and landscape urbanism through an exchange between students from Ghana and the Netherlands. The objective of the studio was to learn from the patterns of settlement and displacement that can be mapped in Ghana as a potential model to adapt and engage with Dutch spatial planning.

from  the complete project website:   ghanascapes.wordpress.com

Participating landscape architecture students from the Amsterdam Academy: Gert-Jan Wisse, Joep Meijer, Milda Jusaite

Project Teachers: John Lonsdale, Rosetta Sara Elkin, Dr. Samuel Addo, Batholomew K.Borlu

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Good fences make good neighbors by Gert-Jan Wisse

“Good fences make good neighbors”stelt de Almeerse Kruidenwijk in het perspectief van maatschappelijke veranderingen van vandaag en morgen.

Gebouwd in de hoogtijdagen van de Nederlandse bouwdrift maakt Almere het schoolvoorbeeld van de buitenwijk. Efficiënt opgezet, gericht op gezinnen met kinderen, een huis met een tuin en een auto voor de deur.
De buitenwijk beantwoordde aan een vraag uit de samenleving voor meer privacy om de individualistische sfeer te kunnen huisvesten.

Dit komt duidelijk naar voren in de manier waarop het leven zich afspeelt tussen de strak getrokken lijnen van het verkavelingsplan. De grens tussen de tuin en die van de buren wordt fel verdedigd met schuttingen en mans hoge hagen. Op het moment dat deze kuren begint te vertonen is de nood aan de man, en komt de klussers geest van de Almeerder naar boven. Nauwgezet worden deze dan hersteld, vaak op zeer creatieve wijze.

In “Good fences make good neighbors” worden deze grenzen op de proef gesteld door de regels waarop ze gebaseerd zijn omver te werpen. Het bestemmingsplan wordt gewijzigd, bouw- of kapvergunning zijn niet meer nodig en de mogelijkheid doet zich voor om ruimte te ruilen, te annexeren, van de hand te doen of te delen in goed overleg met de buren.

Op deze manier ontstaat een flexibel landschap dat begint bij de achterdeur en dat per jaar kan meebewegen met veranderende ambities en gezinssamenstelling.

De buurman ziet zijn kans om zijn hobby te verheffen tot onderneming door uw schuur erbij te huren. De overbuurman zet naast zijn tuin ook het grasveld in voor de teelt van zijn lokale, en overigens overheerlijke sperziebonen. De buurvrouw van verderop verdeelt haar tuin en verhuurt de helft samen met haar bovenverdieping uit aan een jong gezin, en de carrière man van drie huizen verderop staat zijn tuin + het onderhoud af aan het gezin met vier kinderen van vier huizen verderop.

De samenstelling van de wijk verandert voortdurend en daarbij de wensen en eisen van haar bewoners. Door de kracht van de natuur te bundelen in snel groeiende hagen ontstaan zeer flexibele erfafscheidingen die mee kunnen bewegen met de belevingswereld van de mensen aan weerzijde. Een groen labyrint van hagen, tuinen en ondernemingen vangt de spannende tijden van economische onzekerheid op in een nieuwe lokale gemeenschap. De grenzen tussen mensen worden onderwerp van onderhandeling en de achtertuin wordt de voorkant van de samenleving.

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I Need it, I Maintain it bu Milda Jusaite

In the Amanfrom neighborhood in Danyigba the people maintain the used space themselves. Because they need it, they maintain it. Sometimes as infrastructure, sometimes as crop fields or for any other reason they need it. When the space is not needed, it is left to naturalize and grow wild.

In the neighborhood of Marken in Almere all the maintenance of public space is outsourced to companies who can do this for the lowest price. The consequence of this economic policy is a neighborhood that looks the same as anywhere else. In the case a visitor from Ghana would pass by these areas, he would certainly wonder what this strictly maintained space is used for…

I NEED IT, I MAINTAIN IT is a plan to localize the maintenance. The inhabitants of the neighborhood of Marken should be able to shape their own public space. By giving them the right tools to fulfill their own needs, the neighborhood will become lively and more used. It will give more identity to the neighborhood as people shape the public space to their own needs.

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A Little Grid Revolution by Joep Meijer

As seen in Africa: the freedom to make your own urban plan!

Even in Ghana the planners had the perfect final image in their minds when they made the plans. Fortunately, not all was realised and people begun to make it their own.

Nowadays Almere looks exactly as it was once planned. It looks as how the planners had it in mind, it is the final image. But is this then the end? Is this perfection? No. Perfection is found in the transformation, the constant changing of things and the freedom that it can happen: all Almere needs is a kick start. A little spark that ignites and makes this happen.

Danyigba_GHANA: Unexpected doesn’t mean unwanted

The lively and active community of Danyigba is the direct result of not finishing the top down planning. After the plot poles were put in, people more or less turned the situation to their own benefit. The unexpected result of these poles are visible today in the choices the people of Danyigba made…

Zondagshof_almere_netherlands: Realisation doesn’t equal perfection

The neighbourhood of Zondagshof is a clear example of the top down planning that is finished till the end. A grid of clean but empty streets show no life, not even in the weekend. The people live inside their houses, well planned and build by others… Is it possible to bring the power of the pole to almere and give Zondagshof the choice of its own?

1 new grid, 2 simple rules = a little grid revolution!

Imagine the freedom when people in Almere could build in the same way as Danyigba. To build or not to build on your own plot of choice. The possibilities would be endless. New routes would emerge, new buildings, new uses. The existing can change: houses can be left, plants grow wild, roads left neglected. Ruins emerge to get new functions.. But how to start this idea without turning everything into chaos?

To prevent chaos, a new polar grid is applied on Almere. Because the city is build along the grid of the polder of Flevoland, interesting crossing points will land on places where we can not predict them. We can see the result in the model of Zondagshof. It is from these crossing points, that the new urban grid revolution will begin.

THE REVOLUTION

This plan is not made to predict the future, but as the firestarters land on places such as houses and in the middle of the forest, things start evolving. Within in the new framework of the grid endless possibilities will emerge from these simple elements.  New functions are found and made around the firestarters. Some will never be used while others create whole new neighbourhoods. Anything is possible and it is up to the people of almere to take this freedom.

EMILA workshop success

The Dutch edition of the 2011 European master in Landscape Architecture concluded at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture with the unveiling of three large scale models of landscape transformation. The models are multi media explorations on canvas, and hover somewhere between models and paintings. These models. as well as the landscape analysis drawings and sketchbooks, will be on display in the vitrine of the Academy for the next several weeks.

You can have a closer look at these innovative projects on www.emila.org

 

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European Master in Landscape Architecture Symposium, Amsterdam

September 9th, 2011 in Amsterdam, 3 Jodenbreestraat

The symposium marks the opening of a ten day international workshop in the Netherlands.

The symposium is free and open to the public.

please see EMILA.org for more details.

Download Symposium Poster

Athos Monastery, Greece: student proposals

In the spring of 2011 a group of Academie van Bouwkunst landscape architecture students traveled to a remote monastery in Athos, where they had been invited to work on concepts for garden restoration and the addition of new gardens to the thousand year old monastery.

We are currently working on a book of all the designs that will be posted here in the coming months; what follows is just a glimpse.

Living Landscape: First Harvest / Eerste Oogst

Living Landscape is a research lectureship that will run from 2010 to 2012 at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture. The lectureship is based on a deceptively simple premise: that landscape is less the arrangement of outdoor ‘space,’ than the tasks and rituals that people perform in their everyday lives. This notion of landscape as ‘lived practice’ or ‘performance’ is now widespread in landscape studies, but it has barely begun to penetrate landscape architecture education.

In the first months of the lectureship, students were therefore asked to interrogate their own understandings and prejudices with respect to landscape. They attended lectures and seminars by prominent scholars and practitioners, and tackled difficult readings on landscape drawn from the fields of geography, archaeology, art history, and literary studies. At the end of the term, they were asked to bring their revised—and hopefully deepened—understanding of landscape to bear on design tasks that ranged from urban parks to regional master plans. The following projects are the result.

Thomas Oles

Please navigate the pages on the left to explore student projects and writings as well as the contents of the lectureship.

Living Landscape Lecture Series

Check out the Capita Selecta page to learn more about the international lecture series that took place last fall. The full interviews can be watched at the Academie van Bouwkunst in Amsterdam. Interviews with the guests will be published later in 2011 in the Katern of the Academy.