L-Judith van der Poel

Judith van der Poel Watery Huzhou Cultural landscapes as basis for a new green structure Brouwershof 139, 1383DN, Weesp +31618293667 judithvanderpoel@gmail.com landscape architect at bureau Niek Roozen bv

Amsterdam Academy of Architecture Graduation Projects 2014-2015 Landscape Architecture

Landscape Architecture

Judith van der Poel Watery Huzhou Cultural landscapes as basis for a new green structure

Great changes are currently taking place in the city of Huzhou in China. Unique landscape and villages are disappearing beneath the violence of new housing blocks, that are rising from the ground in straight lines. The city will grow from 216,000 inhabitants to 980,000 inhabitants by 2030.

Cultural landscapes The city has a rich history. The surrounding cultural landscape consists of many historic canals and fanciful, growth-covered ‘dykes’. Aound the year 700, the canals were dug in order to prevent floods from the large salt-water lake. Moreover, this meant that the water could be controlled and areas could in this way be irrigated during dry periods. The water cultivation was expanded and by placing many dams, they lived in perfect symbiosis with the water. All villages had stairs to the water, and because all transport was done using boats, there were few roads. As a result of later economic developments, this balance with nature was lost. The current human way of living has had a mostly negative influence on the water quality, due to a surplus of fertilisers, and urban and industrial pollution. Water pollution, air pollution and the ‘urban heat island effect’ is now the order of the day and will grow worse with the enormous urbanisation in the future.

The urban planning vision of the government demonstrates a plan in which the existing landscape is not or hardly taken into account. All Chinese cities will consequently resemble each other. This is a big problem for the future identity of many Chinese cities. My assignment is to develop an alternative master plan for the future green structure of Huzhou, which is in balance with the unavoidable urban development. By incorporating the existing landscape in the master plan, the local culture will remain visible and the people will keep a strong bond with their environment. Moreover, the unique identity will attract tourists.

The current water and dyke structure in this area forms the basis for the new green structure.

The environmental problems are reduced by literally making space for green zones at strategic locations. The distances to the parks become considerably smaller, so that people can more easily make use of the green facilities in their neighbourhood. Parts of the agricultural regions will, as a result, be transformed into city parks. These will become unique parks by making use of local principles, traditions and activities.

People The people in the region and their ancestors made the landscape into what it is now. I was, therefore, extremely interested in their story. Thanks in part to the Stichting NHBOS (NHBOS Foundation), I was able to visit the region. I had the opportunity to speak to the local population with the help of an interpreter. As a result, I learnt a lot about the local culture and the wishes of the inhabitants. They will also live in this city soon, so they are an important source of support for my plan. The centuries-old tradition of living with the water says a lot about the creation of the landscape and the local culture. In addition, the traditions offer sufficient opportunities to transform Huzhou into a lively city of water once again!

Graduation date 20 05 2015

Commission members Rik de Visser (mentor) Boudewijn Almekinders Bruno Vermeersch

Additional members for the examination Roel van Gerwen Paul Achterberg

Judith van der Poel

Landscape Architecture

Suzhou Taihu

Shanghai Taihu

Huzhou plan area

10km

50km

Location

100km

10km

20km

Historic hydrographic chart 618-907

5km

Master plan of the government for 2030, short distances, not relationship with landscape

Green structure in the master plan 2030, green only frames

Small-scale landscape ensures history

forms ecological connections

have economic importance.

Residential tower blocks north-south facing, each Chinese city will look the same

important part of the daily life

Water pollution, air pollution and ‘urban heat island effect’ is current problem

50km

Judith van der Poel

edible city

10 km2 vegetable gardens forests

40 km2 forest dykes

parks no more than 800m away

water

25 km2 wetland Layers of the master plan: water and dykes as park borders, reedlands purify the water, forests for air purification and recreation, vegetable gardens for local food

partial elaboration

2km

4km

10km

Master plan: green spreads through, connects purifies and feeds

greenhouses

rice fields

“I fetch oxygen plants from the river in order to prevent my vegetable garden drying out”

“the water in the village was used a lot in the past, now it is too dirty”

fish ponds

black mulberry trees

frogs vegetable gardens on dykes

“It is a shame that I have to move, mainly because the city has polluted air. I will miss the clean air” Interviews with farmers and inhabitants of the region

“we built this fishing net ourselves, with friends. This is our hobby”

existing structures Building blocks

boulevards

residential tower blocks

harbours

industrial zones

rooms

buildings

Landscape Architecture

infrastructure

fish ponds

lakes

existing villages

rock zone

motorway

artificial mountain

main road

edible park

road & cycle path

edible water gardens

footpaths

water plant zone

partial transformation commercial zones

existing narrow dyke

transform into boulevards rock landscape

pavilion as staircase

transform into reedlands purifying reedlands

natural dykes as ecological connecting zones

framework

halophyte filter

water

rice fields

counteract existing fields

canal with dykes

Four layers

200m

20m 20m

Elaboration ‘In the nature’

100m 100m

1km

200m 200m

Judith van der Poel existing situation

Use existing structures and traditions for new urban functions, such as a living market water purification systems

existing situation

Use existing water cultivation for new water purification system

Amsterdam Academy of Architecture

Architects, urbanists and landscape architects learn the profession at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture through an intensive combination of work and study. They work in small, partly interdisciplinary groups and are supervised by a select group of practising fellow professionals.

There is a wide range of options within the programme so that students can put together their own trajectory and specialisation.

With the inclusion of the course in Urbanism in 1957 and Landscape Architecture in 1972, the Academy is the only architecture school in the Netherlands to bring together the three spatial design disciplines under one roof.

Some 350 guest tutors are involved in teaching every year. Each of them is a practising designer or a specific expert in his or her particular subject. The three heads of department also have design practices of their own in addition to their work for the Academy. This structure yields an enormous dynamism and energy and ensures that the courses remain closely linked to the current state of the discipline.

The courses consist of projects, exercises and lectures. First-year and second-year students also engage in morphological studies. Students work on their own or in small groups. The design

projects form the backbone of the syllabus.

On the basis of a specific design assignment, students develop knowledge, insight and skills.

The exercises are focused on training in those skills that are essential for recognising and solving design problems, such as analytical techniques, knowledge of the repertoire, the use of materials, text analysis, and writing. Many of the exercises are linked to the design projects.

The morphological studies concentrate on the making of spatial objects, with the emphasis on creative process and implementation. Students experiment with materials and media forms and gain experience in converting an idea into a creation.

During the periods between the terms there are workshops, study trips in the Netherlands and abroad, and other activities. This is also the preferred moment for international exchange projects. The Academy regularly invites foreign students for the workshops and recruits wellknown designers from the Netherlands and further afield as tutors.

Graduates from the Academy of Architecture are entitled to the following titles: Architect, Master of Science; Urbanist, Master of Science and Landscape Architect, Master of Science.