Netherlands Charette . . . Group 3

Charrette Group Work
Walcheren Peninsula, The Netherlands
Following the data presented by Arcadis, the global engineering firm discussed previously, and once being able to visit the site had occurred, each of the student groups began their own design process.  Each design group was allotted one TU Delft student.  The following information below is the completed work from group 3 elaborating the processes in which the final proposal was reached.
Group 3 Design Process:
Through the analysis of Walcheren, a determination was reached that each of the three cities along the coast held a unique historical identity.  The analysis of historical data and each town presented specific coastal defense opportunities.  The design concept developed from the analysis was that the coastline formed a “pearl necklace”, and that each city represented a larger pearl as well as a specific place in time (Westkapelle representing the past; Zoutelande representing the present and Vlissingen holding the opportunities for the future).  Below is a matrix containing compiled data of each of the three towns, which was created through the analysis of group 3’s interpretation.

Figure 1 (The Matrix)
Connecting each city to each other would be strands representing the innovative design strategies to improve the flood protection, ecology, and circulation along the entire coast.  The strands would develop a sense of fluidity along the coast. The strands would be slightly altered to meet the protection requirements held by each town in relation to the individual threats as result of the rising sea, subsidence, and natural elements affecting each location.  The strands themselves would be interweaving along the coastline uniting the land and sea.  The design focused on developing costal defense strategies for each individual town, which together create a continuous defense system along the coastline.

Figure 2 (Drawing of Concept)

Master Plan
The Master Plan introduces a combination of constructed elements proposed throughout the landscape.   These elements, depending on location, hold functional and/or artistic purposes directly related to the town.  In order to develop a cohesive coastal defense system, the utilization of both barrier islands and constructed panels are placed along the entire coastline.  Depending on the location of determined placement of the elements, the panels and islands are either designed to enhance the coastal defense system or increase the aesthetic value of the coast.  The boulevard and bicycle route move fluidly along the entire length of the coast reinforcing the connection of the towns by land while a ferry service would enhance the connection in the sea.  The image below is a diagrammatic Master Plan produced by the group, and all of the factors explained above can be located within the context of the surrounding landscape.  The elements that are specifically designed and located per town will be elaborated on later in the narrative.  The coastal defense system is the one element, which remains constant throughout the entire plan.

Figure 3:  Master Plan
The Master Plans developed for each town elaborate in more detail are found in figures 4, 5, and 6 below.  Each strand moving through the landscape can be seen as continuous in the design master plan and be comparison in more detail can be distinguished from seeing the town master plans.  According to the towns’ master plan, the placement and movement of the constructed and introduced elements is in direct reference to the relationship with the sea and the natural elements affecting town.  Each of the plans is labeled to show how each of these elements are connected to one another as moving along the coast.

Figure 4, 5, 6:  Plan of Westkapelle, Plan of Zoutelande, Plan of Vlissingen

Coastal defense strand:
Westkapelle
An auxiliary dike would be constructed behind the existing dike, which would allow space between the two for water detention.  The detained water would drain into a holding facility below the dike, and would later be pumped either back into the sea or further inland for agricultural purposes.

Figure 8 (Auxiliary Dike and Detention Area with Constructed Wetlands)
Zoutelande
There would be a constructed waterproof wall that would rise up out of the existing dike that would provide more advanced defense against the sea.

Vlissingen
A constructed waterproof wall would rise up out of the existing dike to provide a more advanced defense against the sea.

Figure 11:  Constructed Panels in water with floating structures

Ecological Strand:
Westkapelle
The area of detention would be multifunctional in storing both water a creating a wetland landscape in between the dike and the lake.
Zoutelande
The existing nature persevere that is located along the coast would be enhanced and the preservation would continue.
Vlissingen
There would be a floating market and greenhouse located to the west of the harbor.  A proposal of a constructed wetland would be located along the coastline west of the entrance of the harbor.

Circulation Strand:
Westkapelle
The existing bike path would be rerouted first over the sea to allow access to the fishing docks, and then come back into the land to the lake.  The lake is reminder of a WWII bombing which flooded the town and provoked a sense of fear from the sea, so a bridge proposal was suggested to represent the “rising above the water” feeling by the residents.

Zoutelande
The construction of walkways, which would move adjacent to the groins, extends out to the islands.  The bike path would be rerouted to move over sea and land.

Figure 9:  Coastal defense system and boardwalks

Vlissingen
The bike path would offer multiple views of both proposals of land and sea.

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

Appendix 3

Walcheren Peninsula, The Netherlands

Historical Data compiled for analysis of Walcheren, Zeeland Providence, The Netherlands

The first week that LSU Landscape Architecture Study Abroad class arrived in Holland, we were able to commence a workshop charette with the Landscape Architecture and Architecture students at the Technical University of Delft and the Professor, Han Meyer.  The main focus throughout this design project was within realm of urban design.  Our site location was revealed to be Walcheren.  The beginning day of the workshop consisted of an overview of Walcheren and the emphasis of the three towns to focus, which included:  Westkapelle, Zoutelande, and Vlissingen.  The following day was a site visit along the coast, which allowed us as class and individuals to determine the final analysis of the landscape.  The analysis is complied and an interpretation of the data is presented from each student.  The analysis and interpretation is considered to be the keystone on which a design is developed.  The purpose of this section is to provide background information, historical data, and convey the analysis, which was compiled in the workshop, explaining the results of interpretation by students, by groups, and by class.
FIGURE 1                     FIGURE 2

Walcheren is located within the Providence of Zeeland.  Of all the Dutch providences, none experiences more damage from the wrath of the water.  Today, it is characterized as one of the locations of threat along the Netherlands Coast.  The lakes and rivers slice the landscape into islands and peninsulas giving its communities an isolated notion.  The name Zeeland implies is inextricably linked with water and the sea.  From the earliest times, the power of the North Sea and the flooding of deltas of the Maas and Schelde rivers have shaped the landscape, encouraging resilience in the inhabitants and the desire to control the elements.

FIGURE 3

Throughout the existence of the island it has continually changed in shape.  In the time of 1250, it was actually a single island off the coast.  Throughout time, the island has actually evolved into a peninsula through the reclamation of land from the sea (Figure 3 – Figure 6).  Walcheren is the result of century-long work on a “hard” coastal defense.  Today, Arcadis, a global engineering firm, is working to develop and design innovative ways to protect the lands.  Arcadis presented all of the historical data and the initial introduction of Walcheren.  The company has been working with this landscape for several years.  The towns of focus being Westkapelle, Zoutelande, and Vlissingen was ideal due to the threat they held resulting from the rising water levels and the incoming storms from the North Sea.  The goal was to introduce or propose through the design process is to develop new innovative and conceptual ideas to reduce the threat. The project required the student teams to develop “innovative ideas [about] how to design new waterfronts using technical, spatial and economic instruments” with the added charge to reinforce the cultural relationships between the study areas and the waterfronts.  Solutions should be designed to protect the whole coast from Vlissingen to Westkapelle and enhance the identities of the towns.  ARCADIS representatives instructed students to develop unique strategies to combine coastal defense, town identity, and economic possibilities.
FIGURE 4                                   FIGURE 5

FIGURE 6

Within Zeeland, the delta landscape can be divided into six landscapes along the coast.  The distinguished landscapes include:  1) Dune Villages are created in the as of yet safe shelter of the dunes and are in economic sense oriented at sea.  2) Villages encircling a church are not actually oriented towards the sea, but are characteristic for the estuarine coastal landscape, through which numerous creek ridges run.  Subsiding polder land created the higher level of the ridges.  And, these ridges inversely created the country lanes. 3) Ports have developed along the creeks, which discharge into the long reach of the sea.  4) Villages located perpendicular to the dike is the result of strict regulations from the Polder Board with the regard to dikes management control.  5) Key cities generated around ports and villages with streets perpendicular to the dikes.  However, the ports have been closed off due to deposits of the large waters.  6) Holiday villages have developed immediately along the coast and waterside, thank to the closing off the sea arms and the Delta Works.
Walcheren appears to be more stable than it actually is.  The island has continued to evolve into what it has become today.  The force of the natural elements, which include:  the storms, the constantly rising sea level, the tide, and the winds, are the factors which are directly linked to the significant changes of the shoreline. The dunes have been slowly subsiding and washing away due to the fierce west and southwest storms.  Therefore, throughout the years the coastal defense of the island changes and shifts with the water has left several spaces along the coastline unprotected.  Therefore, in order to design a innovative defense, the understanding of the elements in this area and their affects is crucial.  Below is a sequence of diagrams, which show the changes in the land by the reclamation from the sea.
FIGURE 7                           FIGURE 8

FIGURE 9                            FIGURE 10

Each of the three towns is located along the southwest coast of Walcheren.  Overtime, changes in the forced changes from each town economically.  The identities the towns once lived by were no longer able to hold true.  A new economic foundation had to be determined for each location.  This once again was in direct result to the constant affects of the natural elements which rendered each town in constant change and unstable.  The changes and growths of Westkapelle, Zoutelande, and Vlissingen are listed and explained for each individual town in the following narratives.  These elements were many of the issues, which were attempted to be resolved throughout the design process.

Westkapelle

Westkapelle is the northern most towns on Walcheren.  The most impressive element of this town is the sea wall, and the history it holds is fascinating.  In former times, this town lay securely behind dunes, but these were washed away in the 15th century.  This meant that the access route to the island had been altered through the storms, rising tides, winds and sea currents.  At this point, a dike was constructed, which was completed in 1458.  It is also know for the historical events that were result of WWII.  In 1944, the dike was bombed and breeched by allies in order to flood Walcheren so it could be liberated.  The water intake was repaired and the remains of this breech can be viewed from the lake, which still remains.  Westkapelle was not a harbor town, but it holds a historical reputation for fishing.  It also holds a very religious background of Protestant.  The boats were beached instead of locating them in a harbor.  The dike in this town generates a significant disconnect from the sea.  The houses are also positioned with the back of the house facing the sea.  Presented with the historical background and developing an analysis from that data, we as a class were able to determine that the town of Westkapelle and the inhabitants are considered to have “turned their back” on the sea.  Therefore, a conclusion of can be developed that the town is actually “defending” itself from the sea.

Zoutelande

Zoutelande is located between Vlissingen and Westkapelle.  It is considered to the town that brings in the most tourists.  There is a very large beach front throughout the town’s coastline.  Therefore, it has developed and evolved into a recreational or vacation oriented town.  There are generally many people on the beach, including tourists, surfers, and artists.  It is one of the only towns that today contain houses that have been constructed in the dune areas.  From the location of the houses along and in the dunes, it can be implied that there is not a complete separation from the sea as that which existed in Westkapelle.  It holds a history of attracting artists and painters to the town due to the existing groins extending into the water along the majority of the beachside.  The groins themselves were 18th Century engineering design to retain and build the shoreline.  The artist would visit this town to capture the aesthetic quality of the groins, coastline, sea, and dunes.  The groins hold a strong relationship to the history of the Dutch identity and culture.  The town has strived for years to maintain and reconstruct the dunes along the shore.  Today, the town has constructed a boulevard along the backside of the dunes, which contain vistas points from locations along the top of the dunes.  This reconnects the town with the sea again, and perhaps generates views that the artists once captured.  There is also a nature preserve just south along the coast of this town.  It appeared to present more ecologically based enhancements than Westkapelle and Vlissingen.  Therefore, the majority of the proposals from the student’s workshop were geared more towards the possibilities of the enhancement of the ecological components this town presented.

Vlissingen

Vlissingen is probably the first Dutch city where a hard coastal defense was erected.  The construction for the dike occurred around 1439.  Vlissingen is located at the southern most point of the Walcheren Peninsula.  It has always been a town of great military significance.  The harbor was a naval base during the period of WWII.  Therefore, there are several WWII historical monumental markers throughout the town and surrounding areas of the military force post.  Vlissingen can be considered to be one of the most modernized towns along the coast, but at the same time holds a large amount of history.  The town grew aggressively in the 20th Century.  Today, it is a flourishing town that attracts tourists to experience the historical aspects of the town, the beachfront, and the cultural uniqueness.  This town also attracts many retirees to relocate.  There are approximately forty-five thousand inhabitants and it does not seem to be increasing, and in fact, there is speculation that the overall population may be decreasing.  It was considered to have three waterfronts throughout the town including the beach, the harbor, and the shipyards.  Once an important ship building industry dominated the harbor.  This industry has shifted to a new location several miles to the east of the old harbor location.  The abandoned building still remains in the old harbor and represents a potential new set of economic activities, which is yet to be defined.  Tourists are present in the town two to three months out of the year.  This town has the longest period of daylight, the least amount of rain, and considered to be the windiest in the Netherlands.

Perkins Road Overpass Final Review Material

           

My plan is focused on the concept of light movement through light and shadow within the site.  I have located trees, shrubs, and grass material in the water basin that runs throughout the entire site.  The water basin is a water retention area that collects the water from the interstate.  The water will be held in this areas until it has absorbed.  It will be an area that is in constant fluctuation is relation to the site.  The plants within the water basin would complete phytoremediation of the water runoff.  The basin would act as a detention area of the site.  the drains from the interstate were relocated to flow into these areas.   I wanted to connect the two sides of the interstate through the circulation through the site and on the edges.  I located the parking along the road edges, and located an overflow lot at the back of the site.  Essentially, allowing parking access to the west and east side of the site. 

Overall I really like the plan and section graphics.  I liked working with this site and the overall layout of the design.  i wished that i would have had more time to resolve how the glass pieces would work at being places throughout the site to reflect the moving light into specific locations.  The hardest thing about this concept is configuring a way that these elements would have been constructed in order to work precisely.  I really like this idea and think that it would have helped my design if it had been competed. 

How the glass structures are constructed . . .

I had it in my mind that the glass pieces overhead would be constructed in a way similar to the Louvre in Paris France.  Still not sure if that will work.  I think that it should.  It would have to be constructed in a very similar matter.  I would still want each piece to be held at different angles.  I think that this would still work.  I may have to place the lighting under the arbor structures in order to get an effect at night.  I think that it would be cool.  Attached here is a link to the Louvre site in Wiki

Incorporating intermediate spaces within the over spaces

I am trying to decide where these spaces are going to be and how they will function.  I wanted to incorporate the edges from the entrepreneur business edges within the design.   I was thinking of pulling the edges of these building into the site to create the intermediate spaces with the water catchment element.  Essentially this would construct a skewed plan of the surrounding context.  I would like to incorporate something which could be based off these businesses because of how the community is unwilling to loose these business.  they are in love with this area, the business, and the people who operate them.  It seems to be a big deal for the community.  It would almost be creating a tracing of the area.  Just a thought,

Design Process: Perkins Road

Site analysis and inventory diagrams of the site.  I created these to allow me to compile the important information to be addressed throughout the design process.  I also generated a program and with it some perspectives to try and see if these idea would work in the surrounding landscape.  I really like the idea of water capture and allow phytoremediation to occur on the site.  I like how the spaces are broken up, but still have some spaces to refine.  I also want to strengthen the variety of ways the spaces can be utilized.  I also want to place some transparent planes of glass over the water capture constructed elements to direct rainfall into these areas, block rain from coming into the plaza spaces, and initiate the light movement phenomena within the landscape.

 

              

Mid Review Material:Perkins Storyboard, Video and Models

Light Movement: I really fell in love with the phenomenon of light movement on the site.  Here is my storyboard of the occurrences of the phenomenon on the site and other relative information.  I constructed a model to replicate the occurrence of this phenomenon, and pictures of are also attached within the storyboard contents.  I like the fact that my phenomenon occurred over a period of only a matter of seconds.  Knowing that this phenomena occurs everyday the sun is out and there is movement of people or materials within the day, I never really paid much attention to it.  Now, after completing this portion of the project, I notice it all the time and pause when i see it or get to experience it.  It is wonderful to feel movement of the light around me understanding that there will never be another reflection of light the same as the one that i was able to experience at that particular moment in my life.  How strange, and yet at the same time beautiful and mystical.  My video is also linked ot the photo, check it out.

Stormwater Management

A Sustainable Approach to Stormwater Management

SW 12th Avenue Green Street Project, Portland, Oregonby Kevin Robert Perry; ASLA Award 2006

NE Siskiyou Green Street, Portland, Oregon by Kevin Robert Perry; ASLA Award 2007

Mt. Tabor Middle School Rain Garden, Portland, Oregonby Kevin Robert Perry; ASLA Award 2007

Stormwater Innovative Design:  The role of the Landscape Architect  there are some more good links on this page. 

Portland Bureau of Environmental Services; Portland Green Streets Program

more to come

Precedents

Robert Irwin . . . I like the art work that he designed within the landscapes.  I like the studies and inspiration that it provokes in me.  He worked with some materials that i would like to incorporate into my design to initiate the phenomenon of light Movement.  Robert Irwin.-Wikipedia  His designs focused on light and space through perception.  Robert Irwin’s Homepage. 

Movement of Light through Reflections and Shadows . . . Perkins Underpass Phenomenon

While on the site of Perkins Road Overpass, I walked through the site looking for a phenomenon.  I began walking over the overpass into the residential neighborhoods.  I began to focus on the movement of light that was created through plants.  The wind would blow them.  It rather amazed me to see actually how fast things move like that.  I became even more aware of this when i was trying to extract frames from my videos for photos to place in my storyboard.  If i were to include several seconds there would appear to be no change to the elements.  I had to pull frames from within one second or less.  That was just crazy . . . not to mention hard.  I needed my dad’s glasses to pick those out.  I continued to come back into the retail or commercial areas and where I10 crossed over Perkins Road.  I was also taken by the reflection of the light of the cars revealed on the underside of the freeway.  Again, the speed at which these phenomena were revealed is what captured my attention.  Most of the time we are too busy to notice little things like this.  But I absolutely was stuck on the view above me . . . so much that i fell over and hit a parked car from loosing my balance.  Watching the reflections move to fast gave me the feeling of being in Star Wars on the space ship going into Hyperspace . . . hell yeah!!

Links to the Videos are below. 

                            

My Storyboard - - Phenomenon:  Light Movement

   

This is my storyboard through analysis and interpretation of this phenomenon.  The photos are frames extracted from the videos taken on site.  I tried to highlight the reflection activity in each of them.  The diagram on the top right shows the amount of time each iteration of frames was actually visually present.  The maximum time reached would be only one second.  So, it clearly shows that these sequences occur within the time from of fractions of a single second.  So cool.  The second diagram down is referencing where each of phenomena occurred on the site.  And the final is a sketch of the experiential moment that i felt when watching these phenomena occur on the site.  GO STAR WARS!!  (Okay, I may be a goober, but if your laughing . . . you are too!!!!  hahahah)