Connecting Landscapes

Abstract

In the Southwest Delta are the main assignments flood defence, freshwater supply, ecology and fragmentation of the urban delta. This fragmentation occurred because urban regions developed on the edge of the estuarine landscape of Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt. The characterless in between landscapes are disturbing the relation between urban regions and delta landscape. Due to climate change are interventions for flood defence and the freshwater supply necessary. However, these interventions can also be utilized for the assignment of an ecologic restored delta and an improved relation between urban regions and delta landscape. In the transition between the urban region Rijnmond and delta landscape are these assignments most related to each other. Research and design on this transition is the answer on the research question: How can interventions for an ecologic restored and climate proof delta contribute to a dynamic connecting landscape between urban region’s and the delta landscape, but also to an enhanced spatial quality of the transition between settlement and water? The main themes are climate change and current spatial structures and how they can contribute to a connecting landscape. Awareness of the spatial structures in the Southwest Delta is important in adaptation to new economies and ecologies without loss of identity. These spatial structures are defined by economic and ecologic networks which needs to be able to adapt to changing environments. These networks become better integrated if meaningful and vibrant public spaces are connected to them. There are three important economic networks on the scale of the Southwest Delta. One consists of urban regions linked by railways and highways. The other one is the shipping route between the ports of Antwerp, situated in the basin of the river Scheldt, and Rotterdam, situated in the basin of the rivers Rhine and Meuse. The last one consists of a parallel infrastructure of roads across the Deltaworks which makes the delta accessible for recreation. The ecologic networks of the delta consists of the main water system and the regional water systems. The main water system forms a structuring element on the scale of the Southwest Delta. Adaptation to climate change is utilized for restoring ecology and contributing to a connecting landscape between urban regions and delta landscape. The ecology can be restored by reconnecting the water basins, return of tides by reconnection with the North Sea and river discharge through the delta. Restored dynamics of the delta contribute to an improved spatial quality of the transition between land and water. The dike, which forms the current border between land and water, is transformed into a transition area which integrate nature, recreation and flood defence. Besides that discharge of the river through the delta contributes to a restored ecology, it also contributes to the safety of the urban region of Rijnmond in case of peaks in river discharges. The manner in which the urban region Rijnmond is temporary closable for peak discharges affects the potential of the connecting landscape of Voorne-Putten. Hellevoetsluis occupies a strategic position in the connecting landscape between urban region Rijnmond and delta landscape. In the past Hellevoetsluis was strategically located and part of a water defence line of which the fortress still is a remnant. Thereafter Hellevoetsluis was situated on networks which connected the city Rotterdam with the delta. The Canal of Voorne used to be the access to the ports of Rotterdam. Later a network of steam trams and ferries connected the islands in the delta with Rotterdam. In the current situation Hellevoetsluis has lost its strategic position. In the connecting landscape are networks enhanced, accessible and restored for recreational purposes to make Hellevoetsluis a strategic node for recreation in the connecting landscape between urban region and delta landscape. As result of the restored dynamics and ecology in the Southwest Delta is a reduced availability of freshwater in the main water system. The demand for freshwater from the regional water systems needs to be adjusted to the availability of freshwater from the main water system. Therefore are two strategies which consists of resisting salinisation and allowing salinisation. Because of the contrast between saline and non saline zones arises a dynamic landscape. Water forms the spatial carrier and structuring element in the saline landscape which integrate agriculture, nature and recreation. The concept of a zoned landscape fits well in the spatial structure of Goeree Overflakkee with its ring-street-villages. These villages lost their relation with the water, which only consists because of a harbour canal due to further land reclamation. Additional landscape architectonic elements enhance the spatial composition of the saline landscape, which is structured by the elements of saline aquaculture. These elements are axes of cultivation ponds and constructed wetlands. Adaptive ecologic and economic networks are the structuring elements in the connecting landscape. On the scale of Goeree Overflakkee forms water the structuring element in the zoned landscape in between settlement and main water system. Underlying ecologic and climate-related changes are the result of internal salinisation and reduced availability of freshwater from the main water system. On the scale of the Southwest Delta is the transition between urban region and delta landscape structured by networks. The potention of the connecting landscape of Voorne Putten is influenced by the chosen interventions for an ecologic restored and climate proof delta.