Living with Water
A Historical Exploration of Dutch Architectural Responses to Rising Water Levels within its Borders
P.M. Braakhuis (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
J.C. Edens – Mentor (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / A)
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Abstract
The world is warming up, causing a rise in water levels. The Netherlands has a rich history in the field of water protection: throughout the centuries, the country has increasingly improved its defenses with the help of new techniques, technological advancements, and better regulated management. However, since the end of the previous century, there has been a shift in the way water is dealt with. No langer is the motto "keeping the water out," but rather "learning to live with water."
This thesis investigates the reasons behind this change in Dutch policy by answering the following question: 'What are the historica/ architectura/ adaptations of the Netherlands before 1953 to effectively hand/e water within the face of rising water levels and why did this strategy change after 1953 from 'keeping the water out' to 'learning to live with water?' To answer this question correctly, two periods, each with sub-periods, have been examined: before the flood disaster of 1953, and from 1953 to the present.
When examinIng the sub-periods, the relationship between catastrophic events, water management, and technological advancements was looked at. By addressing architectural cases, this relationship could be clearly defined. The results indicate a correlation between when these events occur and how they are responded to with technology and water management. Another correlation was observed in how technological progress also led to better organization: improved technology enabled larger projects, which in turn required larger farms of water management.
However, the flood disaster of 1953 revealed that there is a limit to protection against water. The floods of 1953, 1993, and 1995 made the Dutch realize that merely protecting against water is not sufficient; a new strategy of water management was needed, one in which we also learn to live with water. This strategy must ensure that the Netherlands remains safe from water in the future, even with the expected rise in sea-and river levels.