The Noordoostpolder is a unique piece of polder land in the Netherlands, its design thoroughly drawn and calculated based upon the specific needs and scientific believes of its time. It is a remarkable story of innovation and dealing with design challenges in a post-war era, visible on different levels ranging from the landscape, the villages, the architecture as well as the social engineering of the area. The dream of a makeable world in all its facets.
What are the possibilities of translating the story of the past Noordoostpolder to contemporary times? What are the possibilities of using local materials and side streams in the Noordoostpolder?
While exploring the material streams of the Noordoostpolder I learned that the municipality of the Noordoostpolder plans to create a recreational tourist route in the near future. I explored the possibilities of designing the facilities along this route, trying to connect to the rich design history of the Noordoostpolder but also with the materiality of the region and its local material streams, a topic so urgent in our current times.
By designing facilities like the ‘Baggerbank’ a bench made on site from river sediment and gladiolus fibers, I propose a way of working with local materials that are connected to the identity and materiality of a place, by doing so making us feel more connected to the places we live and visit.
