H+N+S worked on a study for the renewal of the surface water system of Randstad Holland. The work resulted in a model for the Randstad which was presented in the “Water Biennale”, the second International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam. The following text gives an impression of the design thinking.
“Sea levels are rising, precipitation peaks are breaking new records, the land is subsiding and the groundwater is becoming brackish. Living in a metropolis below sea level is, in short, faced with a big challenge: storage capacity is required for fresh water in order to flush out brackish and polluted water during dry periods; there is a need to drain and store the saline seepage that rises to the surface in low-
lying polders; peak storage capacity in extensively urbanized areas must temporarily retain water from precipitation; and lastly, the outlet and drainage system that interconnects these components needs renovation. Why shouldn’t we bring together all these tasks in an open and attractive landscape with an abundance of water that benefits recreational users, developers, flora and fauna?
This cannot be achieved from one day to the next. It involves space, competing interests and money. “Surfing along in the Flood” is an appeal for a phased and collective approach in the form of preparation and facilitation: reserve space here and put a stop to urbanization, invest in new components of the water structure and hitch a ride with new opportunities elsewhere. This places polders and peatland areas in a surprising spatial planning perspective.
In spite of - or perhaps thanks to - the Flood, we proclaim “we’re not leaving, we’re staying!’”