I AM LED BY PAST WATERS by LeahLoffler

I AM LED BY PAST WATERS

I AM LED BY PAST WATERS Leah Løffler, qfp409 30 ETCS thesis project in Landscapearchitecture and urban design Supervisor: Rikke Munck Petersen University of copenhagen Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management 2021

WHAT MOVES ME

I am curious about the stories hidden in the deep structures of our landscapes; small signs or obvious shapes revealing how things used to be. The hills and holes that take us back hundreds, thousands or even millions of years in time.

I am fascinated by the overlying structures of mankind, established to navigate landscapes of change, and the shaping and reshaping of our surroundings, which form our cultural landscapes, cities and redefined coastal zones.

I am drawn towards the sea, both the harshness above and the calmness below, the eternity by its side, and the losses that come with it. These initial motives led me to discover a story unknown to me about the embankment of Lolland’s south coast in the mid 1800s. My attention was quickly drawn towards Rødby Fjord and the reclamation process that took place over a 200-year period, changing the former inlet, and the archipelagos within it, for good. The extent and complexity of the embankment of Rødby Fjord are jaw-dropping and fascinating, while also calling for reflection upon human exploitation of the land we inhabit. Finally, in the summer of 2020, I had the opportunity to do a course at The Danish Film school taking part in the creation and execution of a staged documentary, exploring the relation between a mother and her daughter. This experience inspired me to introduce and explore a filmic method in my final thesis project. With this starting point, I invite you to walk with me as I look for signs of the vanished ocean in the modern landscapes of Rødby Fjord.

ABSTRACT

Through film-based design methods, this thesis aims to explore the reclaimed landscapse of Rødby Fjord. The thesis looks into the experiential potentials of the film camera and the affective action of filmmaking, emphasising the qualities of the modern landscapes of Rødby Fjord as well as the historical traces and deep structures of the former inlet. The thesis offers an insight to the new coastal zone of Rødby Fjord facing Fehmarn Belt Waters though five filmic notations stating a sense of neglect and disorientation of the past inlet identity. Through a comparative study of orthophotos, onsite registrations and historical mappings of Rødby Fjord from 1889 the thesis unfolds traces of the former coastal zones from which a strategic proposal of a connected pathway through the historical and the present landscapes of Rødby Fjord evolves. Using the film-based approach, the thesis aims to establish a visual human connection to the historical actions and identities ingrained in the landscape, in this way unfolding and enhancing sensuous aspects of the field of landscape architecture.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I wish to thank my supervisor Rikke Munck Petersen, for dedicated supervision and support. I also want to thank Bjarne Dippern and Jan Jantzen from Lolland for the forthcoming and helpful talks during my site visits at Rødby Fjord. Thank you to Mette, Thomas and Martin for moral support and advice during the entire process, and to Cecilie, Johanne and Esther in particular for their time and guidance during the last phase of the thesis process. And finally, I owe a special thanks to my family, who have been there to catch me when I got in too deep.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

08 11 13

Introduction Thesis booklets and filmic presentation Methods and process

CONTEXT AND HISTORY

19 21 31 42

context Reclaiming Rødby Fjord - A landscape transition Structures of the modern and cultural landscapes of Rødby Fjord Structures of the modern and cultural landscapes of Rødby Fjord

ANALASYS PART 1

55 56 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 97 98

Landscape analysis of rødby Fjord part 1 - Hiking Filming and editing Throretical and practical starting point Filmmaking as a way to enter a landscape experience Kramnitze Havn - Walk with Me 1 / I see things that were, going quiet behind my eyes Skarresø wetlands Walk with me 2 / I see pieces of the past in the shimmering soil of the present Mygfjed Forest - Walk with me 3 / I see the forest emerging in the lee of the dike Rødby Havn - Walk with me 4 / I see transitions Emerge througt movement The hinterland of Rødby Fjord - Walk with me 5 / I see encounters between reality and dreams in the ponds of the farmland Summery of chapter 3

ANALYSIS PART 2

103 113 117 121 125

Landscape analysis of Rødby Fjord Part 2 - Where the past and the present meet Traces of the historical dams and former coastal streach Evolving nature environments in the off roads of Rødby Fjord Relations between the former coast and the cultural landscape and the cities Summery of Chapter 4 - Exploration of Rødby Fjord hinterland, historical traces and evolving nature

VISION AND PROPOSAL

127 129 131 133 134 135 136 138 146 152

Vision The pathway - From coast to coast Defining Forest Introcucing Wetland Grassland and meadow Information and facilities Masterplan The Memorial Forest Kirkenor and Rødby Bindernæs Forests and wetlands

OUTRO

160 164

Discussion and reflection References

/ 1

CONTEXT INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY Unfolding the structures Unfolding of thesis the historical background, and modern landscapes methodsogand Rødby structure Fjord

INTRODUCTION

The Danish island of Lolland, south of Zealand, has undergone comprehensive human modulation of the coastal landscapes over the past three centuries. A little over 200 years ago, Lolland’s coastal zones counted a number of bay and inlet areas with numerous islands. But being one of the most low-lying islands of Denmark it was prone to recurring floods, and already in the late 18th century, independent investors, farmers and villagers started thinking in terms of land reclamation and coastal protection. Dams and dikes were built in the transitional zone between land and sea. Due to a forceful storm surge that flooded big parts of Lolland and Falster, the establishment of det lollandske dige – the dike protecting the entire south coast of Lolland – began in 1872. Within few years the new dike created a wall between the low-lying glacial till and the sea, while also forming new coastal borders, with the reclamation of both Nakskov Fjord and Rødby Fjord initiated bit by bit. Around 1966, almost 100 years after the storm surge, Rødby Fjord was pumped dry, and the former seabed had turned into agricultural land. Today, landscapes of reclamation are considered to be important cultural environments (Stenark, 2005). The dikes, the canals, the canal locks and the pumping stations bring a historical insight

to the human impact on, and modulation of, our surroundings. Not least in Rødby Fjord, whose existence hinges on these structures to keep the soils from soaking. In 1997 Naturpark Nakskov Fjord was initiated to promote the nature and the cultural environments of Nakskov Fjord. Through this initiative, the Municipality of Lolland wanted to shed light on the story of the embankment of Nakskov Fjord, encouraging the exploration of the dike and the visual traces of the former islands in the agricultural landscape of today. Meanwhile in Rødby Fjord, the same story seems to have been forgotten. Upon a glance, the flat farmlands of sugar beet and rapeseed fields, intertwined with the grown and built structures of the coastline dike, do not evoke the dramatic history of the landscape; the enormous physical transformation of the vast Rødby Fjord. The signs and traces of the historical inlet have either vanished or are deeply integrated into the agricultural surfaces and urban structures, radiating a sense of neglect and disorientation in the important historical act and identity. However, the agricultural exploitation of the former seabed, and the current challenges of rising sea level and heavy cloud burst incidents, invite reflection on the role of water in our landscapes, and how it will become relevant in a new era. In 2029, the construction of the new Fehmarn

Belt connection (a combined tunnel and bridge between Rødby and Puttgarden in Germany) is expected to increase the tourism and the population in Rødby Fjord area, in turn giving rise to new opportunities in landscape architectural action that might emphasise the existing and inherent qualities of Rødby Fjord: such as this thesis project. The story of the former inlet, as well as the transformational reclamation process embedded in the landscapes of Rødby Fjord, carry a huge recreational potential that I wish to unfold. How can the former coastal zone, and the physical transformation that has taken place, be brought to attention and be transmitted visually in the modern landscape of Rødby Fjord? Can new structures create a connection between the historical, cultural and future identities of Rødby Fjord? Setting foot in the present-day landscapes of Rødby Fjord with a hand-held camera, I look for signs of the vanished sea and the historical traces of the former coast in the deep structures of the geological and cultural surfaces. And I look for a way to display the story in a way that emphasises the qualities, values and potentials of the agricultural, cultural and natural landscapes that have evolved from the bleakly exposed seabed.

Askö Fæland

Hæsö

Gloslunde Hestehave Hoby

Vejleby

Hoby skov

Holle

Pilehave Magleholm Skovland

Næsodde

Lilleholm

Gjerringe Rappeholm

Nebbelunde

Fugleholm

Sædinge Kragenæs

Hummingen Kramnitse Gab Tjörnebjerg

Landö

Kastö

Lang Skarholm

Storeholm

Nödholm Rödby

Lidsö Bredfjed

Mygfjed

Bindernæs

Syltholm

THESIS BOOKLETS AND FILM PRESENTATIONS

In this thesis report, I will introduce the work of five filmic notations with additional small black booklets containing stills from the films, enabling an analogue reading of the notations. The five booklets makes it possible to get a quick insight to the visual univers of the films. The filmic notations will be unfolded in chapter 3, Analysis part 1 – Bodily and filmic explo-

rations of the modern coastal zone of Rødby Fjord, where you will find links to websites

/ I see things that were, going quiet behind my eyes https://vimeo.com/562522826 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0Ul245IRmo

/ I see pieces of the past in the shimmering soil of the present https://vimeo.com/559718744 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDvQTeGbjSg

containing the filmic notations. The filmic notations are uploaded on vimeo.com. The notations are only accessible if you have an account. You can also acces the filmic notations on youtube. The filmic notations will appear in the following order, supporting the narrative and structure of the thesis exploration. The links will also be attached in chapter 3. During the reading of chapter 3, it is recommended that the reader has the digital thesis open, allowing easy access to the following:

/ I see the forest emerging in the lee of the dike https://vimeo.com/559714817 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAj4RUJWSpU

/ I see transitions emerge through movement https://vimeo.com/609616933 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW4zuqzbqnc

/ I see encounters between reality and dreams in the ponds of the farmland https://vimeo.com/608070078 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcYDRFyeuEc

METHODS AND PROCESS

I have approached the exploration of Rødby Fjord with a curiosity towards a historical and filmic framework in my landscape architectural practice. This curiosity has evolved into sequential and parallel workflows using different instruments and methods to unfold the multiple layers of Rødby Fjord, its history and its modern environments. Thus, throughout the thesis report, you will experience that I balance big-scale and small-scale perspectives, historical maps and present orthophotos, and that I employ moving images as well as video stills, in the making of onsite registrations and future scenarios. In the following, you will get an insight to the methods and tools I have used to navigate towards the final project proposal. HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK In my thesis, I look into the multiple steps taken from the first attempts on coastal protection in Vejleby in 1794 till the inlet of Rødby Fjord was finally fully reclaimed in 1966. I have gained knowledge of the historical transition though the detailed work of former teacher Niels E. Hyldtoft. In his book Bag diger og dæmninger i Rødby Fjord (Hyldtoft, 2009), he collects data about every reclamation and embankment attempted and executed in Rødby Fjord, and he documents the existing traces hidden in the agricultural land. This book has been my main source of information on the chronology of the transitional process, along with detailed readings of historical maps. To gain theoretical and practical insight to the concept and practice of filmmaking in architectural and artistic work fields, I have included theory and reflections from Rikke Munck Petersen,

landscape architect and professor at Copenhagen University, and Mads Farsø, landscape architect and consultant at Halsnæs Municipality. Munck Petersen and Farsø establish the film as an intimacy projection environment (IPE), as well as a resonance and transcendence medium, and they argue that the film medium is both an environment, a medium and a tool to transfer a bodily experience that can be perceived by the spectators without being physically present (Munck Petersen & Farsø, 2019). This makes the film medium relevant in an architectural context, as it offers an increased awareness on the affective aspects of architecture. In my own filmic experiments, I examine how to transfer my bodily experiences and onsite associations in the landscapes of Rødby Fjord though the film as a resonance medium of site, perceiver and conceivers (ibid.)

FILMING AND FILMMAKING AS A DYNAMIC RESEARCH METHOD My primary research method is the filmic method. Here, I explore the experiential potentials of the film camera and the affective action of filmmaking (Munck Petersen & Farsø, 2019), both in regards to understanding the current landscapes of Rødby Fjord as well as unfolding and articulating possible future spatial indications and intentions within my site. I used a hand-held camera and my phone to capture the appearing structures, landscape typologies and the experienced atmospheres, bringing attention to the sensuous and emotional states that occur when engaging with spaces, real and virtual: a resonance between person and space (Munck Petersen & Farsø, 2019). The filmic material was collected during a three-day site

visit in March of 2021 and a two-day site visit in June of 2021. It later went through phases of post editing, leading to the filmic presentation and interpretations of five landscape experiences from Rødby Fjord. The landscape experiences are expressed in five filmic notations unfolded in Chapter 3. The term ‘filmic notations’ is in this thesis understood to be the bringing forth of key experiences that unfold the resonance occurring as I move through the landscape. I distingiush between filming and filmmaking. The act of filming happens though bodily presence (Munck Petersen & Farsø, 2019) anchored to a physical landscape while the act of filmmaking interprets the filmed material from a distance though the filter of the screen, but also involves presence through post-editing. The filmmaking process will be further elaborated during chapter 3, where I present the choices made in filming and filmmaking, as well the reflections these choices brought with them. I have experimented with different ways of filming to see how the actions of the photographer influences the way we understand what is filmed: from a distance or close up, moving from one point to another, filming above and below water surfaces or using my body as a subject behind or in front of the camera. During my second site visit, I used the film camera more as a tool to collect visual data and registrations of historical traces.

I also use the documentary William Kentridge – Everything is possible (Art21, 2010) from 2010 by director Charles Atlas and Susan Sollins as a source. The creative work methods and reflections of Kentridge are portrayed though studio recordings and recorded interviews, in which he unfolds his filmic method and video installations with deep historical references and intensity. I used this documentary, and his reflections on the qualities and actions of filmmaking, as a reference for understanding and articulating my own filmic process. In the filmmaking process I worked exploratively and intuitively to express the different sensuous impressions, historical references and spatial properties. I used historical maps in relation to the filmed as a reference to the underlying historical layers, and I explored the effects of overlaying images dissolving into each other. In the process, I experienced how new environments emerging from the filmic notations provoked new meaning, new impressions and associations. As a way of understanding my own filmic creations, I worked with words and titles that help support the narrative intention. MAPPING Working with historical maps, and the action of mapping, have been important tools to understand the past landscapes and convergent landscape structures of the present-day landscape of

Rødby Fjord. Notational techniques are used to highlight key parts of the site in focus and make other recede in the process. I studied Generalstabens historical map from 1889, orthophotos and google maps to get acquainted with the site, the history, the cultural landscape, the differences and the similarities and the physical transition from fjord to farmland. This method becomes important in Chapter 4, when I piece together traces of the former coastal zone.

ONSITE REGISTRATIONS

In this thesis report I refer mostly to Generalstabens map from 1889, but I have used historical maps of the parishes of Rødby Fjord to form an idea of how Rødby Fjord looked like before they started reclaiming the inlet. I also distinguish between ‘the former coast’, ‘the historical coast’ and ‘the new coast’ in order to differ between the past inlet morphology and the present inlet morphology. I am aware that the coastal outline of Rødby Fjord from 1889 was fluid and changing all the time, as well as the fact that the coastal outline was completely different 20.000 years ago. But Generalstabens historical map is interesting to me as it portrays a stage in between the past and the present thus highlighting a peripheral zone of reclaimed land. To require detailed information about specific zones of reclamation, I use Niels E. Hyldtofts thorough collection of maps and photos (2009).

I have performed filmic registrations at Kramnitze Havn, Skarresø wetlands, Mygfjed Forest, Rødbyhavn and the surrounding farmlands. I approach the sites by foot, on my bike, by car and in water using movement and bodily presence as tools to explore and understand the landscapes I find myself in. As a landscape architect, the act of movement is an important tool to register the nuances and the changes within the landscape. This is closely linked to the way I mimic my movements though the camera (Munck Petersen & Farsø, 2019).

I have made two visits to the site to get physically engaged and acquainted with the proportions, the landscape typologies and the historical traces. Where the first site visit focused mostly on the landscape experiences connected to the dike and the new coastal zone, the second site visit focused on the hinterland of Rødby Fjord and the peripheral zone of the former coast.

The second field trip exploration was spread out on more than 15 locations in the hinterland of Rødby Fjord as I scouted for visible physical traces of the reclamation and former coast of Rødby Fjord.

/ 2

CONTEXT AND HISTORY Unfolding the structures of the historical and modern landscapes og Rødby Fjord

Lolland

Rødby Fjord

CONTEXT

Lolland is the fourth biggest island in Denmark. The island lies south of Zealand, just barely connected to Falster via two bridges and a tunnel passing over and under the Guldborgsund waters. North, east and south of Lolland, the island is surrounded by four different waters; Smålandshavet, Langeland Belt Waters, The Baltic Sea and Fehmarn Belt Waters, the latter separating Lolland from the German neighbour island of Fehmarn. The low-lying island is characterized by its flat terrain and agricultural surfaces spread out wide and open, with straight concrete roads cutting through the terrain. That is until you reach the south coast where a tall dike rises in front of you, breaking the waves of Fehmarn Belt Waters. One third of Lolland’s coastal zones are lying below sea level and are protected by dike. The flat landscape was shaped during the last stage of the latest ice age when a glacier covering Fyn and Lolland released a cover of glacial till during de-icing (Lolland Kommune, November 2013). In the south of Lolland, you find Rødby Fjord, lying opposite of the Fehmarn. The soils of Rødby Fjord are significantly different due to Rødby Fjord being located on the seabed of a former inlet. Therefore, the soils are dominated by saltwater sand and freshwater peat. Spread out in the seabed, former islands rise above sea level, partly covered by glacial till like the rest of Lolland.

In the zone behind the dike of Rødby Fjord, the landscapes are characterized by open and closed spatial environments of either summerhouses, wetlands, forest plantation and meadow. Behind that zone, the agricultural surfaces and drainage canals spread out widely and define the cultural landscape of Rødby Fjord (Lolland Kommune, April 2013). For years, a ferry route has connected Denmark with Germany, the ferries sailing to and from Rødby Havn and Puttgarden. In 2029 the ferry will be replaced by a combined tunnel and bridge. The stretch along the dike from Rødby Havn to Lalandia water park will undergo yet another transformation, expanding the dune and beach meadow with soil deposit from the construction site. This will add about 3 square kilometres to the existing surfaces of Rødby Fjord. Today, the construction process can be followed from a combined viewpoint and information tower. For years, the Municipality of Lolland has been working strategically on the future development of the south coast of Lolland and the recreational potential of the dike, not least as a way to accede to the expected increasing tourism due to the Fehmarn Belt connection. Notably, the municipality has its primary focus on the dike and the environments closest to the dike, leaving out the possible scenarios of the heavily cultivated former seabed.

Reclaiming Røby Fjord A landscape transition

1 2

If we go back over 200 years in time, the people inhabiting the southern regions of Lolland walked miles through water to come from one village to another. Back then, Lolland had a significantly different coastal outline counting multiple inlets with numerous small islands protected by bigger barrier islands. The complex coastal zones made traffic between even neighbouring villages harsh and complicated. There were stretches of the sea low enough for the farmers and countrymen to pass, yet still high enough to soak their feet on the way to the market. These passages were called vådeveje (wet roads) (Slægtsforskernes Bibliotek,1956, pp. 242). The zone along the coast was for the most part defined as bleak stretches of grassy pastureland under constant threat of flooding (Hyldtoft, 2009). In Rødby Fjord, embankment and land reclamation dates back to the late 18th century. The first reclamation happened in Vejleby in 1794. Landowner and politician C. D. F Reventlow

established a dam and canal lock between Vejleby and Holle. The early dams and reclamation projects were interventions by the peripheral creeks and bays of Rødby Fjord. A turning point for the reclamation industry was when a severe storm surge hit Lolland the 13th of November 1872. The storm surge flooded one third of the island causing the death of 80 people living in the affected areas. From that point on, the reclamation of Rødby Fjord took off. A 4 meter tall and 63 kilometre long dike was built along the outer barrier islands forming a new coastal border between Fehmarn Belt waters and Rødby Fjord. Thereafter a connected system of canals was dug to lead water from the inlet into the sea though the Kramnitze pumping station. Almost 100 years after the storm surge, in 1966, Rødby Fjord was pumped dry, the multiple islands were swallowed by the surroundings and the former seabed had turned into agricultural land.

7 9

In 1929 a 23 ton stone was found lying in the middle of the exposed seabed. It was moved one kilometre south where it was raised on the bleak, muddy seabed and engraved in memory of the storm surge and the strenuous reclamation of Rødby Fjord. A memorial park was established and grew bigger through the years. The stone still stands, 3 meter below sea-level, to remind us of the storm surge and the reclamation process, though you might not notice the stone, standing by a crossroad surrounded by tall broadleaf trees.

1 : C. D. F. Reventlow initiates the first dam construction

in Vejleby 1794 2 / 3 : The storm surge of 1872 floods the entire south

coast of Lolland 4 /5 / 6 : The dike of Lolland is established between 1874

and 1877 and they start digging a syatem of canals with an outlet at Kramnitze Havn 7 : First pumping station is built in 1869. In 1927 a new

station is build to replace the old at Kramnitze Havn

Niels E. Hyldtoft has documented the historical reclamation development in a detailed overview. In his book Bag diger og dæmninger i Rødby Fjord from 2009, he maps out the reclaimed areas of Rødby Fjord and divides them in five chronologically ordered groups illustrated on next page.

8 : Rødby Fjord mindesten is found in the reclaimed seabed

in 1929 9 : In 1966 the reclamationn of Rødby Fjord is finished and

a new era begins

21 1

The memorial stone 22

25 23

18 17

- 1839 1.

Vejleby Holle reclamation

Sædinge lake and Ringsebølle lake reclamation

Rundevad reclamation

Korterup reclamation

1840-1849 5. Hestehavevaad reclamation 6.

Malbæk reclamationv

Gerringe - Viet reclamation

Alminde reclamation

Kildevad reclamation

1850-1859 10. Thorsvad reclamation 11.

Viet - Vester Tirsted reclamation

12.

The small reclamation of Rødby Fjord

13.

The small reclamation of Rødby Fjord by Ger ringe brook

1860-1899 14. Lidsø - Bindernæs reclamation 15.

Stramsholm reclamation

1900-1919 Næsbæk reclamation

16. 17.

Kastø slug reclamation

18.

Gerringe brook reclamation

19.

Lilleholm - Thorsvaad reclamation

20.

Kohulerne reclamation

21.

Korterup brook reclamation

22.

Slidsholm Bay reclamation

23.

Bundtvig Bay Reclamation

24.

Mellemnor Reclamation

1920-1966 25. The rest of the seabed is pumped dry

THE MEMORIAL STONE 1927

This photography shows the memorial stone in the bleak muddy seabed in 1927, when they soils were still too wet to be cultivated

Rødby Fjord anno 1889, Generalstaben, first published in 1908 This map shows Rødby fjord 17 years after the storm surge and 95 years after the first reclamation project in Vejleby in 1994. The coastal zone has changed drastically and islands of the inlet has started to integrate in the mainland. 28

Hæsö

Hoby

Vejleby

Hoby skov Pilehave

Holle The Memorial Park Magleholm

Næsodde

Kragenæs Hummingen

Lang Kramnitze

Skarholm Skarresø Lidsö

Bredfjed

Mygfjed

Orthophoto of Rødby Fjord 2021 1:40.000 30

Gjerringe Nebbelunde

Sædinge

Landö Nödholm

Kastö Storeholm

Rödby

Bindernæs Lalandia

Rødby havn

STRUCTURES OF THE MODERN AND CUTURAL LANDSCAPES OF RØDBY FJORD When casting a glance at the reclaimed lands of Rødby Fjord there are certain dominating structures that characterize the new cultural landscapes: the dike, the canals, the windmills and the agricultural surfaces with a characteristically low number of houses and farms. Hedgerows appear in the bleak landscapes surrounding farmhouses and summer houses, or dividing the farmland into smaller pieces. The highway E47 cuts through Lolland and connects Copenhagen with Rødbyhavn. In the eastern fringe of Rødbyhavn, the highway and the train tracks terminate at the ferry berth where cars and trains are waiting to board the Scanline ferry. There are a few long and straight roads going from the hinterland of Rødby Fjord through the centre of the former seabed. Otherwise, the majority of the roads are unofficial dirt roads between the agricultural parcels. The lack of infrastructure makes the reclaimed inlet highly inaccessible. Looking at these structures isolated, the underlying geological foundation and inlet morphology reveal themselves. In the following I look at how the modern structures relate to the inherent geological hierarchy.

THE DIKE

KRAMNITZE HAVN

THE CANALS

THE FARMLAND

THE ENERGY LANDSCAPE

STRUCTURES OF THE MODERN AND CUTURAL LANDSCAPES OF RØDBY FJORD

THE LANDSCAPE CUREVS

THE DIKE

If you study the curves of Rødby Fjord, the former inlet and archipelagos is revealed in the contours of the terrain. The terrain of Rødby Fjord is like a natural bathtub with a low point just south of the memorial park 2-3 meters below sea level. Characteristic oblong contours rise from the seabed insinuating the existence of the former islands Lang and Lidsø. You might also recognize islands such as Magleholm and Skarholm, to the west and Storeholm and Kastø north east of Lang (see diagram 1.1 in the following pages).

The dike of Lolland protecting the southern coasts of the island, is the longest coastal protection project in the history of Denmark (HistoriskAtlas.dk, Det lollandske dige). It stretches all the way from Nakskov Fjord to the west until Hyldekrog, east of Rødby Fjord. In total a 63 kilometre long protective wall between the surrounding sea and the low-lying lands of Lolland. But today the dike is more than just protecting Lolland from flooding, it has evolved into a connected recreational stretch with beach meadows on the outside, and wetland zones, forests, summerhouse areas and farmland on the inside. Unlike the dike of Kalvebod Fælled in Amager, this dike is fascinatingly wide on the top blending slowly into a dune landscape and white sand beach. From the narrow beaches on the outside, the dike resembles any other natural dune beach whereas the sculptural artificial structure of the dike appears clearly from the inside. The construction of the dike creates three quite different experiences according to where you are positioned: on the inside, on top or on the outside. From the inside you are visually cut off from the sea, and from the top you can see all the way from Kramnitze to Rødbyhavn.

The highest points are found in Hoby Forest to the west. Hoby Forest used to be a part of the coastal zone facing the water of the historical inlet. The Highest point of the inlet is interestingly to be found just north of Lang in the former seabed. A landfill- and recycle station has deposited waste since 1974 creating a highpoint 14 meters above sea-level. The eye is also drawn towards the thick line of contours defining the constructed dike. This line enhances the understanding of the new coastal boarder of Rødby Fjord as well as the clusters of contours emphasizing the volume of the dike. As a contrast to the curves of the natural terrain, the drainage canals of the inlet draw thick straight lines revealing a system of connected waterways within the reclaimed area. The canals are branching out from the centre of the seabed following the underlying morphology of the former inlet with an outlet at Kramnitze pumping station.

The stretch of the dike passing Rødby Fjord offers a variety of diverse recreational experiences, and the Municipality of Lolland has a clear focus on the development of the recreational value of the dike. Four summerhouse areas (Hummingen, Kramnitze, Bredfjed and Lanadia) appear sequentially on the inside of the dike. While Hummingen, Kramnitze and Bredfjed for the most part is built on the grounds of the former barrier islands, Lalandia and the industrial harbour city Rødbyhavn have emerged from the reclaimed seabed (see diagram 1.5 in the following pages)

KRAMNITZE STATION AND THE CANALS

SURROUNDING GREEN AND BLUE STRUCTURES

When they built the dike of Lolland they also started digging long straight and deep canals leading the water out towards the pumping station at Kramnitze Gab. The digging of the canals finished in 1969 almost 100 years after they first started. The first pumping station at Kramnitze was built in 1869, but in 1927 they built a new station with a much bigger capacity to complete the reclamation of Rødby Fjord (HistoriskAtlas. dk, Kramnitse). Kramnitze pumping station coveres an area of 80.000 square kilometres keeping the entire inlet dry.

In between the small villages along the dike, Rødby Fjord offers interesting recreational environments such as wetlands, oak and pine forests and heat. Skarresø wetlands and Mygfjed forest will be further unfolded in chapter 3 as a part of my onsite and filmic exploration. These environments are valuable breathing spaces to break the monotone experience of the straight dike and the noisy wind. They are also home to a variety of plant and animal species. The contradiction of the reclamation of Rødby Fjord, is that the exposed seabed has opened up for the emergence of new landscape typologies and migration of animals and plants.

Canals are characteristic elements of the cultural landscape. In Rødby Fjord they are not visible when overlooking the fields of rapeseed and sugar beets, but when passing the canals, they suddenly appear as deep cuts into the agricultural surfaces. The slopes of the canals are steep and covered by short grass, and from the bottom of the canal you hear the sound of chuckled water from the tubes draining the farmland. The overlying structure of the canal system is based on the contours of the terrain, with a meeting point in the deepest part of the former seabed and an outlet at Kramitze pumping station (see diagram 1.3 in the following pages). In dry seasons the water level in the canal is low and the canals seem naked and disproportionately deep, but during wet seasons several farmers struggle as the canals spill over and the pumping station reaches its limit.

Though the reclaimed land for the most part is covered with low vegetation from the cultivated farmlands, private tree plantations, forests volumes and blooming hedges seems to have found their way into the reclaimed seabed (see diagram 1.4 in the following pages). Within the agricultural surfaces multiple protected and inaccessible ponds spread out widely. When looking at satellite photos of Rødby fjord they suddenly appear as small quadrats or rectangular patches within the farmland framed by trees. The ponds make up important habitats for a number of rare amphibians.

4545

INFRASTRUCTURE, FARMLAND AND THE ENERGY LANDSCAPE The surfaces of Lolland are predominantly coved by farmland, and Rødby Fjord is no exception (see diagram 1.6 in the following pages) The establishment of the dike has ensured an increasing economic growth within the agricultural sector, as the dike enabled land reclamation for agricultural purposes. The fertile glacial till covering most of Lolland is well suited for sugar beet farming. Since 1872, when the first sugar factory in Lolland was built, Lolland has profited on the so-called white gold bringing both cultural and economic value to the island. Within the last years, due to an agricultural agreement in the EU, Danish sugar beet farmers have suffered considerable economical losses (Kristeligt Dagblad, 2017). Furthermore, until recently the future was uncertain for the two remaining sugar factories in Nakskov and Nykøbing Falster, as they failed to meet the requirements of a green transition in Denmark. Despite criticism, in the beginning of 2021 the Danish government posted almost 800 million DKK in a gas pipeline to replace the coal driven production. This will ensure the livelihood of both farmers and factory workers connected to sugar beet farming and sugar production.

Within the agricultural surfaces of Rødby Fjord, three windmill parks have been established, crossing the reclaimed seabed and two solar cities. Wherever you look, windmills appears in the horizon (see diagram 1.6 in the following pages) manifesting the energy landscape of Rødby Fjord. In a rapport by Municipality of Lolland from 2019 (Erhvervsstyrelsen, 2019) it is proposed to expand the solar cities widely in the former seabed centralizing the renewable energy sources in the open landscapes. While this may serve to provide green energy to 50.000 households a year, the proposal also eliminates the possibility of a landscape based development of the former inlet. Displayed in diagram 1.6 is also the two recycle and landfill sites in Rødby and north of the former island Lang. The sparse infrastructure in the former seabed is defined by the former islands as well as the bigger villages and cities in connection to the inlet. On diagram 1.5 in the following pages you get a sense of the inaccessibility of the seabed and the few connection points of the inlet. The Memorial Park and connected forests are placed where the two main roads make a crossing in the middle of the seabed. Between the villages one would have to drive up north and access the neighbouring village through either Lidsø or Lang.

THE FORMER COASTAL OUTLINE

1.1 Diagram of the the historical coastal zones before 1794. 48

THE LANDSCAPE CURVES

1. 2 Diagram of the landscape curves. When comparing diagram 1.1 with this diagram some of the old coastal shapes become visible. The curves also display clearly the dike towards south and the canals. 49

THE CANALS

1.3 Diagram of the canal system. You see a clear reference to the former coastal shape with a meeting point in the middle of the seabed and an outlet at Kramnitze and Mygfjed 50

GREEN AND BLUE STRUCTURES

1.4 Diagram of exisiting forests, lakes, ponds, wetlands and heathland 51

BUILDING STRUCTURE AND INFRASTRUCTURAL CONNECTIONS

1.5 Build volumes and roads official roads. The diagram shows how the sparse infrastructure makes the former inlet almost inaccessible 52

THE AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE AND ENERGY LANDSCAPE

1.6 Diagram of agricultural surfaces, windmill passages and solar cities. You see how the seabed has been heavily exploited for agricultural purpose and the energy landscape is centralized in the lowlands of Rødby Fjord

/ 3

CONTEXT ANALYSIS AND HISTORY PART 1 Unfolding Bodily the and filmic structures exploration of the of historical the modern and moderncoastal landscapes zone og of Rødby Fjord

The hinterland

Kramnitze Havn

Skarresø

Mygfjed forest

Rødby Havn

LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS OF RØDBY FJORD PART 1 Hiking, filming and editing

In the following, I look into the stories, qualities and characteristics of the new coastal zone of Rødby fjord. I unfold my onsite analysis and filmic working methods which has led to the completion of five filmic notations reflecting upon the experienced landscape structures, dynamics and atmospheres.

moving, while standing, while biking and from the passenger seat in the car. The collected filmic material from each site visit has evolved into filmic representations and interpretations directly linked to each site. / I see things that were, going quiet behind my

eyes In the first week of March 2021 I carried out a 3 day fieldtrip to Rødby Fjord with a curated focus on 4 sites in close proximity to the dike of Lolland: Kramnitze Havn, Skarresø wetlands, Mygfjed Forest and Rødbyhavn. My main tool of registration is the film camera that I use to explore and document the experienced landscape typologies, spatial formations as well as the visible or invisible signs of the vanished ocean. As a rookie within the field of filmmaking I approach the work with a playful and intuitive mindset to explore the act and position of the photographer.

Kramnitze havn / I see pieces of the past in the shimmering soil

of the present Skarresø wetlands / I see the forest emerging in the lee of the dike Mygfjed Forest / I see transitions emerge through movement Rødbyhavn / I see encounters between reality and dreams in

the ponds of the farmland The cultural landscapes of the reclaimed seabed

I film what moves me, how I move in the landscape and what moves in front of me. I film when I come across shimmering waterholes, wetland zones and canals as a way to capture the presence of water on the inside of the dike. I film from a distance, at close range, from above and below water. I film the diverse vegetations and spatial properties and structures and I film while

The final filmic notation differs in the sense that it does not refer to a specific site visit but the experienced cultural landscapes that dominated the visual impression on the way to each site. Each site visit registrations and related filmic notation will be presented in abovementioned order.

THEORETICAL AND PRACTIAL STARTING POINT

As an entry to the filmic process of my thesis I have studied the work and reflections of Rikke Munck Petersen and Mads Farsø. In Affective

Architecture. Film as a Sensory Transference Tool and an Intimacy Projection Environment (2016) Munck Petersen and Farsø unfold the representative and conceiving qualities of the film when it enters in a landscape architectural context. They argue how the film medium can be used as a sensory transference tool projecting both the outer space as well and an inner sensation. They further highlight the ability to engage and establish the bodily perception of a space in the architectural practice by introducing the film as a research and projection medium, translating atmosphere and intimacy in our work. In my own process I reflect upon the way I engage bodily in the landscape and how I can portray my movements and impressions both through filming and through editing. I seek to find answers to how my subjective sensuous impressions of the landscapes of Rødby fjord can be transmitted through the lens of my camera and ultimately through the screen to the spectator. With reference to the work of Munck Petersen and Farsø I also look at the conceiving qualities of the film, as I study the new environments and spaces within the filmic notations used as tools to articulate a strategic direction. In the documentary William Kentridge – Everything is possible by director Charles Atlas and Susan Sollins (2010) we get an intimate look into the creative process and reflections of Ken-

tridge, well known amongst other things for his charcoal drawings and vivid video installations. In the documentary featuring interviews and studio recordings of Kentridge he describes cinemas ability to dissolve to pieces of film together and turn a cat into a telephone. He calls it the exercise of transformation in which you understand the world as process (Art21, 2010, 25:26). The study of transformation expressed though historical events is simply way to understand the world we live in. In Kentridges works you see extraordinary examples of how he integrates historical references in his art. In relation to the Kentridge exhibition at Louisiana Museum of Art in 2017 the director Poul Erik Tøjner described the way Kentridge unfolds time by bringing the past into the present in his works (Louisiana Revy, 2017). In my thesis exploration I approaches the subject of transformation both through historical research but also through the filmic sketches dissolving time and space with reference to the reflections of Kentridge. Finally, Kentdrige gives sense to the inexplainable and intuitive aspects of the creative process by emphasizing the act of playing: “The seriousness of playing. It’s about staying in the looseness of trying different things. Images and ideas will emerge” (Art21, 2010, 00:55). This looseness of trying different things have been a key tool in my own filmmaking process.

FILMMAKING AS A WAY TO ENTER A LANDSCAPE EXPERIENCE

As mentioned early on in this chapter my filmic notations evolve from and refer to the four visited sites Kramnitze Havn, Skarresø Wetlands, Mygfjed Forest and Rødbyhavn as well as the cultivated seabed of Rødby Fjord. While each filmic notation relates to different landscape elements such as the sea, the wetland, the forest, the dike and the cultural and agricultural landscape, they also touch base with the underlying layers such as historical presence, physical transitions, spatial properties and the multiple sensuous impressions experienced though light, colour, sound, etc. The five filmic notations appear as broad horizontal frieze-like bands creating a coherency between them. Each of the notations tells a different story, but put together they give an overall impression of and insight to the nuances of Rødby Fjord.

filmic notation introduces water and historical maps as important elements in the creation of a dualistic and historical awareness. The second film edited, / I see pieces of the past in the shimmering soil of the present, was instrumental in the creation of the frieze-like format that I use as a frame for each of the five filmic notations. These first two notations create a set of guidelines in which I use the frieze-like format to create structure and coherency and the overlaying techniques and historical maps to access the historical and poetic layers of the present-day landscapes. In the following subchapters you get a guided introduction to the mentioned sites of registration and the filmic notations that relate to the experienced site.

Having never edited film before, I explore not only the film mediums qualities in the landscape architectural practice, I also get acquainted with the machinery behind the filmmaking discipline. The intention of the first film edited, / I see things that were, going quiet behind my eyes, is to manifest the geographical and historical context. With experimenting techniques of overlaying images and zoomed-in images it also initiates a further exploration of the transformational and transcendent qualities of the film medium. The

Rødby Kanal

Kramnitze Pumping station 3

The dike The canal lock wetland

Kramnitze Havn Beach Kramnitze village 1

Dune beach

Orthophoto Kramnitze 2021 1:10000 60

KRAMNITZE HAVN AND SURROUNDINGS

Generalstabens historical map of Kramnitze Gab 1889 61

1 The dune beach

2 The canal lock

3 Kramnitze pumping station

KRAMNITZE HAVN WALK WITH ME 1

Kramnitze Havn is located between the former barrier islands Hummingen and Tjørnebjerg. The harbour is historically known as Kramnitze Gab and has functioned as a port to Rødby Fjord since 1736 (HistoriskAtlas.dk, Kramnitse). Today the inlet at Kramitze Gab has turned into an outlet where Kramnitze pumping station consistently pumps tons of water out of the canals of Rødby Fjord. Kramnitze pumping station, a characteristically looking red brick building with tall windows along the sides, lays in the foreground of planted forest that clusters around Lilleholm canal. The pumping station is placed about 300 meters behind a canal lock. The grey concrete construction of the canal lock is covered with black inscriptions highlighting the storm surge in 1872. From the canal lock you can see blue and white boats rocking in the water at the small harbour. In between the dike and the sea, a wetland-scape spreads out wide and open, transitioning into a dune and beach meadow about 400 meters from the canal lock. The sounds from the wind and the waves are loud and monotone. To the east of the harbour Tjørnebjerg has turned into a village with small summerhouses. The village, Kramnitze, is visually cut off from the sea due to the tall dike protecting the houses from flooding. From the inner slope of the dike

a vegetation of trees and scrubs grows on a 200 meter stretch along the dike. The top of the dike is astonishingly wide and provides a long view towards south. Sometimes the view to the sea is cut off by the hilly dunes with sea roses growing on top. When comparing the orthophoto of Kramnitze Havn and the historical mappings of Kramnitze Gab you start getting a sense of the clear inherent structures from the past transmitted in the modern landscapes such as the outlet and canal lock of Kramnitze, the shape of Tjørnebjerg and Lilleholm islands and the small harbour on the outside of the dike. As I visit Kramitze Havn the weather is cold, grey and windy. I spend the first few hours getting acquainted with the action of filming and the multiple choices that comes along with it. I am drawn towards the sea and the canal lock as elements in the landscapes though which the story of the storm surge could be told. I film the waves washing onto shore and I spent a few hours exploring the harbour, the wetland, the dike and the wilderness of the dune landscapes until I run out of battery. I am filming from the passenger seat on my way back home; windmills, straight roads, canals and naked black agricultural soils. My fingers are cold and numb.

/ I see things that were, going quiet behind my eyes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0Ul245IRmo

https://vimeo.com/562522826

Stills from / I see things that were, going quiet behind my eyes

/ I see things that were, going quiet behind my eyes

/ I see things that were, going quiet behind my eyes explores the historical background of the physical transition of Rødby Fjord on the basis of the site visit at Kramnitze Havn. It works as an introduction manifesting both time, space and bodily presence. You find stills from the filmic notation in the booklet 1 : / I see things that

were, going quiet behind my eyes It sets of a quiet night near Kramnitze, establishing a sense of calm before the storm. A simmering tension builds up as waves slowly sweep away the historical outline of Rødby Fjord and the fluidity of the meeting between the sea and the sand becomes visible. Two minutes into the filmic notation the spectator is invited into the intimate quiet below water referring to the flooding of Lolland during the storm surge in 1872. Through a filter of shimmering water, the reclamation process is illustrated as segments of the inlet transitions into farmland, wetland, and sandy surfaces. Finally, we find ourselves back at shore, in a present time with a present eye. This filmic notation uses material from my Kramnitze site visit layered with historical maps to explore the ability to portray the past with footage from the present and modern landscapes of Rødby Fjord. A space of intimacy and intensity is created with the use of extreme zooms putting the spectator at eyelevel with the waves washing onto shore. The shift of focus from above water to below water facilitates an experience of the water as a space expressing the duality of Rødby Fjord. A sense of the inherent layers of the past landscapes is established in this first filmic notation.

Lang island

Kramnitze

Skarholm

Skarresø wetlands Dune beach

3 1

The dike

Orthophoto Skarresø 2021

1:10000 1:10000 68

Bredfjed

SKARRESØ WETLANDS AND SURROUNDINGS

Generalstabens historical map of Skarresø 1889 69

1 Island of trees in the wetlands of Skarresø

2 Birds at Skarresø wetlands

2 The dike from the inside of the dike

SKARRESØ WETLANDS WALK WITH ME 2

Skarresø wetlands is a restored wetland area east of Kramnitze. Historically Skarresø was not a lake but a part of the inlet waters. Skarholm and Præsteholm were small islands in the inlet protected by the two barrier islands Tjørnebjerg and Bredfjed. For many years after the reclamation of the inlet the lands of Skarresø were cultivated until the establishment of Lidsø estate initiated a restoration project in 1999 (Lidsø Gods, 2017). The Municipality of Lolland has in collaboration with The Danish Society of Nature Conservation (Danmarks Naturfredningsforening) and The Heathland Society (Hedeselskabet) raised the water level to 0 and planted a forest of oak at the lands of the former island Skarholm. A local farmer has later established an oak plantation in his triangular parcel northwest of Skarholm Forest. Today Skarresø wetlands are home to a wide range of breeding birds, toads, insects, deer, hares, mice and reptiles. When comparing the orthophoto of Skarresø wetlands and the historical mappings of the site a repeating pattern starts to emerge. The visual connection between the former islands and modern landscape structures empowers a sense of place in the historical landscape. I access the wetlands from the dike from which I see shimmering reflections of the sun appearing behind tall and pale reeds. To get a glimpse

of the resting birds I hide behind a cluster of pines. In-between dark green branches of pine I film birds taking off into the sky with Skarholm forest and the windmills of Rødby Fjord in the horizon. In the wide and open landscape small forest volumes appear as islands in a sea. The dark colour of the trees stands in contrast to the pale colours of the wetlands. Here and there behind sun kissed reeds, reminding me of the opening scene from the film Gladiator, small waterholes appear. I use the camera to explore the space underneath the water surface. A long bumpy passage takes you from south vest to north east where two oblong forests connect the wetland zones with Lidsø Forest. North of Skarresø, Klokkerholmsvej creates a barrier between the wetlands and the surrounding farmland. This road also takes you back to Kramnitze village. I am filming from the passenger seat on my way back home; windmills, straight roads, canals and naked black agricultural soils. My fingers are cold and numb. In the next filmic notation, you get to see how the filmic explorations of waterholes and water surfaces evoke reflections on the link between the past inlet waters and the present wetland waters.

/ I see pieces of the past in the shimmering soil of the present

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDvQTeGbjSg

https://vimeo.com/559718744

Stills from / I see pieces of the past in the shimmering soil of the present

/ I see pieces of the past in the shimmering soil of the present

/ I see pieces of the past in the shimmering soil of the present explores the wetlands of Skarresø displaying the duality imbedded in the modern landscapes of Rødby Fjord. The filmic notation is driven by a curious search for water in the reclaimed land on the inside of the dike. The filmic notation takes off at a hidden pond in the wetlands of Skarresø. The spectator is immediately confronted with a water surface that mirrors the sky and surrounding reeds before diving into the pale and cloudy water. Birds are tweeting and reeds are vibrating while an underwater exploration consistently moves in the background. A slight opacity makes the two worlds melt together portraying the duality of the site: the past inlet expressed in the water and the present inlet expressed in the reeds, the trees and the windmills in the horizon. Halfway through the filmic notation, just as a tiny fish passed by, the spectator is pulled back up above water catching breath before going back down into the pond. This time, the underwater recordings blend in with images of a look from above towards the water surface while a subject carefully crosses the swampy soils. In this filmic notation I work with a narrative in which I associate the water surfaces of the reclaimed land with the water of the past. The title guides the spectator into that abstract mindset.

Bredfjed

Dragsminde outlet

The dike

Mydfjed Forest Nordre Skanse

2 3

Lalandia Wetlands

Orthophoto Mygfjed 2021 1:10000 76

MYGFJED FOREST AND SURROUNDINGS

Generalstabens historical map of Mygfjed 1889 77

1 Dragsminde outlet dividing the coast i two parts

2 Big and small trees grow among eachother. You can see the dike in the horizon

3 The forest seen from a small birdwatching tower

MYGFJED FOREST WALK WITH ME 3

In between Bredfjed village and Lalandia water park the forest of Mygfjed emerges. Mygfjed was one of the barrier islands at the south of Rødby Fjord, along with Hummingen, Tjørnebjerg, Bredfjed, and Sylthom. These islands created a natural barrier between the sea and the inner coastal zones of Rødby Fjord. Laying opposite of Mygfjed at the tip of the mainland was Bindernæs just 200-400 meters apart. In 1644 two defence stations, Nordre Skanse and Søndre Skanse, were built at Bindernæs to overlook the Fehmarn Belt waters during The Thirty Years’ War (HistoriskAtlas. dk, Skanserne i Rødbyfjord). The remains of the northern defence station, an elevated piece of land, lays on the ground of a recreational green space connected to Lalandia water park. Mygfjed Forest appear on the inside of the dike. The outline of the forest is remarkably similar to the shape of the former island. In the historical mappings of Mygfjed from 1889 the Lidsø-Bindernæs reclamation has already created connection between the Lidsø island, Mydfjed island and the Bindernæs on the mainland. But the idea of the former islands still appear from the map. The second outlet of Rødby Fjord reclamation, Dragsminde outlet, is found west of Mygfjed,

drawing a line in the landscape both in the present and the historical from 1889. The water from Dragsminde canal lock divides the beach in to two pieces. I approach Mygfjed Forest from the south east drawn by the luring sounds of the forest. The forest is framed by the dike in the south and a canal along the northside. The water of the canal is green of algae, and I film the intense activity of organisms in the water. The pine and spruce forest is planted in a strict pattern of squares, with clearings facing outwards. In the clearings young spruce trees emerge among old ones and the contrast between the pale grassland and the dark conifers make a remarkable sight. I recall pictures from the dusty information boards in the memorial park describing how the forest started emerging from the reclaimed seabed of Rødby Fjord. As the forest densifies I hear how the pines are squeaking when pulled back and forth by the wind. From a wobbly wooden tower, I sink into the mystery of the forest and its sounds. Everything dissolves around me. I am filming from the passenger seat on my way back home; windmills, straight roads, canals and naked black agricultural soils. My fingers are cold and numb.

/ I see the forest emerging in the lee of the dike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAj4RUJWSpU&t=2s

https://vimeo.com/559714817

Stills from / I see the forest emerging in the lee of the dike

/ I see the forest emerging in the lee of the dike

/ I see the forest emerging in the lee of the dike is exploring the intimate spaces and nature evolved from the bleak reclaimed inlet. The film takes place in Mygfjed Forest. In the beginning we find ourselves at the edge of the forest looking at the shadows of four spruce trees cast on the ground. In a slow movement from the edge to the deep dark and squeaking core of the forest the spectator gets an intimate perspective on the small changes of light, colour and sounds. The filmic notation highlights the colour contrasts of the soft mosses and withered leaves, the pale grasses and the dark trees, and the illuminated flaky bark in the darkness of the woods. Hid behind the branches of a pine the spectator secretly observes the stories of the forest. In the wilderness of the forest, in complete darkness we are left with the monotone sound of wind and waves and hundreds of squeaking trees. Light plays an important role in this exploration proving the power of moving images to capture small shifts with huge impact on the sensuous intake of the place. This could be a beam of light penetrating the branches of a tree or a soft glow touching the undergrowth of the forest creating shimmering reflections. In this third filmic notation I reintroduce the historical maps used in the first film “/ I see things that were, going quiet behind my eyes”. This is done to anchor the experience to a physical place with an orientation towards the historical morphology. The first three filmic notations and site visits starts creating strong links between the experienced landscapes and the idea of the past landscapes.

Lalandia village

Havnegade

E47 highway Wetland 3

Dune beach landscape 2

Train tracks 1

Industrial harbour Ferry berth

Wetland

Orthophoto Rødbyhavn 2021 1:10000 84

RØDBYHAVN AND SURROUNDINGS

Generalstabens historical map of Rødbyhavn 1889 85

1 The silos at the industrial harbour

2 Scanline Ferry in the fare back coming into shore

3 Overlooking the sea from the dune beach landscape connected to the dike

RØDBYHAVN WALK WITH ME 4

Rødbyhavn is a connection point between Denmark and Germany. The highway E47 goes straight to the harbourfront where the Scanline ferry brings you back and forth between Rødby and Puttgarden. But the city is actually built on what used to be seabed between the historical barrier island Syltholm and the mainland of Rødby. While the reclamation of Rødby Fjord was not finished before 1966, Rødbyhavn was established between the years of 1909-1912 (danmarkshistorien.dk, 2012). Today, the towns of Rødby and Rødbyhavn are Lolland’ the fifth and sixth largest respectively, with populations between 1623 and 2094 people. Though the population has been declining for the past 30-40 years, the municipality expects an increase when the new Fehmarn Belt connection opens in 2029.

bour, a big beach meadow stretches out behind the hills of a dune landscape. The dunes lie as an extension of the dike making the dike appear enormous. A shabby flag, the Lolland written across it, is blowing in the wind.

In Rødbyhavn, you find a residential area and a shopping centre, the industrial harbour, the ferry berth and a popular beach on the other side of the dike. The residential zone spreads out to the west of the highway E47 along the main street Havnevej. The industrial harbour is visible in the horizon from Havnevej, lying on the outside of the dike. West of the industrial harbour the cars are waiting at the ferry berth where the ferry sails out every 20 minutes. West of the industrial har-

When heading back home I am filming from the passenger seat; windmills, straight roads, canals and naked black agricultural soils. My fingers are cold and numb.

In Rødbyhavn I see how the vast and empty streets of the town transition into the industrial harbour that in turn transitions into the dune beach landscapes behind the dike. This highlights the experience of change embodied though movement. I experience for the first time how the dike and the dune landscapes manifest a sense of coherence and connectivity of Rødby Fjord. The dike, as a repeating element of every site visit, creates relations and connection between the villages and the recreational zones.

In the fourth filmic notation, you get an impression of the change of atmosphere when moving from the industrial harbour towards the dike and the dune beaches.

/ I see transitions emerge through movement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW4zuqzbqnc

https://vimeo.com/609616933

Stills from / I see transitions emerge through movement

/ I see transitions emerge through movement

/ I see transitions emerge through movement expresses the transitions experienced when moving in a transverse direction from Rødbyhavn towards the dike and the dune beaches. The industrial harbour places the spectator at the harbour front of Rødby Havn, which involves simple images of construction workers, the Scanline ferry and the silos with the sound of chuckling water hitting the harbour front construction. From a distance, behind the tip of a dune, we see the silos in the horizon giving context to the new emerging environment. The industrial harbour transitions into the dike, which transitions into the dune landscapes. Now time almost stands still as we move though fluttering grasses towards the dike, the dunes and the sea. An image of the wall-like construction of the dike almost resembles the very first image of a concrete wall at the industrial harbour. From the top of the dike, the dune landscape is experienced though the movements of the photographer as you approach the sea. The attention is drawn towards the blurry line between the sea and the sky that slowly sinks to the bottom of the screen. This fourth filmic notation brings focus to the spatial properties and sensuous impressions of the dike as an important element in the experience of Rødby Fjord. There is a notably big difference between being on the inside of the dike, being on top of it, and being on the outside of it. While Rødbyhavn plays a small part in this notation, it helps to understand how the dike and the surrounding cities relate spatially to each other.

Hidden pond

Mindestensvej

Rødby canal

Private forest volumes 1

The Memorial Stone

Hidden pond

The Memorial Park 2

Langelinie Windmill passage

Midpoint of canal system Lowest point of the seabed -2 below sealevel Solar city

Rødby canal

Private forest patch

Orthophoto of the hinterland 2021 1:10000

Solar city

THE HINTERLAND OF RØDBY FJORD

Generalstabens historical map of the hinterland and former seabed of Rødby Fjord 1889 93

1 The entrance of The Memorial Park at the cross-section of two roads. The stone seems small next to the tall trees growing

2 Sometimes the canals hide in the tall grass growing form the slopes of the canals. The water is often green of algae

3 During winter the agricultural surafces are black and naked, waiting for the spring to come

THE HINTERLAND OF RØDBY FJORD WALK WITH ME 5

The new coastal zone of Rødby Fjord expressed in the previous four site visits and filmic notations have given rise to the question of how far back into the hinterland the former coastal zone used to be. As a tourist in Rødby Fjord, I quickly sensed a lack of information and guidelines to help me navigate the reclaimed inlet. Therefore, this final subchapter focuses on the experienced agricultural surfaced of the reclaimed seabed. Through this filmic notation, I start to get a sense of how big the reclaimed area is. In the orthophoto, in scale 1:10000, you see a part of the reclaimed inlet, with a bird’s perspective on the cultural landscapes that you are confronted with upon crossing the former inlet: windmills, straight roads, canals and the naked black agricultural soils. What you don’t see onsite, but which you discover from above, are the numerous ponds hidden in the farmland. When you compare the historical map to the orthophoto, you find yourself in the middle of the former inlet. Just the tip of the island Lang appears in the bottom right corner. In this orthophoto, the memorial park appears in the north with a clearing around the memorial stone. It was on the way back home from Skarresø that I passed the park to the left, and just barely missed the stone in the cross-section between Mindestensvej and Langeliniee. The street name sign exposed the secret, which was hiding to my left. The historical picture of the memorial stone, in chapter 2: Context and History, displays the grandiosity of the reclamation of Rødby Fjord, with the stone standing as an isolated element in the vast muddy seabed. Today, the stone seems awkwardly disproportionate in its surroundings as these do not display—even remotely—the width of the reclaimed seabed. In the following and final filmic notation, you get an insight into an abstract universe in which the structures of the farmland slowly dissolve as hidden ponds emerge from the soils. 95

/ I see encounters between reality and dreams in the ponds of the farmland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcYDRFyeuEc https://vimeo.com/608070078

Stills from / I see encounters between reality and dreams in the ponds of the farmland

/ I see encounters between reality and dreams in the ponds of the farmland

/ I see encounters between reality and dreams in the ponds of the farmland displays the experienced dominating structures of the farmland and the protected ponds hidden within. This final filmic notation emanates from my increasing curiosity regarding the extent of the reclaimed land. With a curated focus on the new coastal zone (Kramnitze, Skarresø, Mygfjed and Rødbyhavn), a sense of neglect and disorientation towards the periphery of the historical coastal zone has risen in the landscape In the filmic notation, I use footage collected from the hinterland combined with google map images of just a tiny fraction of the ponds of Rødby Fjord The entry to the filmic notation is by way of the farmland surfaces overlooking black soils, green soils of sugar beet or sandy soils that cast shadows in the bright daylight. The columns of the windmills appear as big white Greek columns from an ancient time. Halfway through, the spectator is presented with an abstract meeting between a sugar beet field with white geese and an image of a pond in motion. By the strangeness of things, it appears as though a man is clinging to the tracks in the soil. To the sound of chuckling water, the images of glossy mirror-like ponds and vibrating water from the canals create unexpected meetings and reflections on the presence of water in Rødby Fjord.

SUMMERY OF CHAPTER 3 BODILY AND FILMIC EXPLORATION OF RØDBY FJORD

Throughout the first part of my analysis of Rødby Fjord coastal zone and hinterland, I have come to recognize the historical landscapes in the shapes and impressions of the present landscapes. The landscapes of Kramnitze, Skarresø and Mygfjed mirror the landscapes from 1889, as manifested in the water surfaces and the forest volumes. I see how present water surfaces refer to past waters, how forest volumes refer to former islands and how the dike becomes a symbol of the coastal outline. This is valuable information, which indicates a strategic approach in which landscape typologies can be used as metaphors to visually transmit the story of historical inlet morphology in the present landscape. The combination of maps studies, orthophotos and filmic notations has emphasized the inherent historical layers while also giving rise to an increasing awareness of the qualities of the new environments that have emerged from the embankment and reclamation of Rødby Fjord. The exploration has also displayed a lack of connection to historical layers of the hinterland. This, I understand as historical disorientation. With the method from this chapter—comparing orthophotos, historical maps and onsite registrations to establish an orientation towards the historical morphology—I will therefore attempt to expand my focus and piece together traces of the former coastal zones and the imbedded embankment boarders in the hinterland of Rødby Fjord.

100

102

/ 4

CONTEXT ANALYSIS AND HISTORY PART 2 Unfolding Exploration the structures of Rødby of the Fjord historical hinterland and historical modern traces landscapes and evolving og Rødbynature Fjord

103

104

LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS OF RØDBY FJORD PART 2 Where the past and the present meet

In the previous chapter I experienced the landscapes around the dike of Rødby Fjord with a sense of curiosity and openness towards the sensuous impressions and bodily perception of the modern landscapes, as expressed in my five filmic notations. In this chapter, I approach the hinterland and periphery of Rødby Fjord in search of signs and physical traces of the historical coastal zone and new nature environments which might highlight the potentials of the existing landscapes. The second part of my analysis is based on the idea - or at this point; the awareness - that bits and parts of the former inlet morphology and reclamation process are revealed in the surfaces of the present landscapes. I use this as my starting point. By comparing Generalstabens historical map from 1889 and a present orthophoto of Rødby Fjord I find several convergent lines and patterns that reflect both historical and present-day layers. As I zoom in and out between the maps, I discover a number of overlapping structures and shapes that I use to draw up a diagrammatic route of registration for my second fieldtrip, which was carried out in the beginning of June, 2021. In this chapter I also introduce the word dam as a contrast to dike to describe the constructions that were built to manage and control the water flow within the inlet. Dams differ from dikes in that they cross the water volumes, whereas dikes usually run parallel to the water in order to prevent flooding. In Rødby Fjord, the

dike of Lolland actually turns into a dam as it passes though the Fehmarn Belt Waters and the inlet waters, but being part of a connected dike, it is commonly referred to as a dike. I therefore choose to distinguish between the dike running parallel to the sea and the dams within the inlet. During a systematic examination I find bits of the historical coastline as well as the former archipelagos, preserved dam constructions from the reclamation process and waterholes that continue to remind me of the water that used to flow. I also highlight the forests, meadows and abandoned rural landscapes in close connection to what I define as the historical coast. Lastly, I see how the cultural landscape and the surrounding cities and villages are connected to the stretch. During my second fieldtrip I use the film medium as a tool to assemble data of the historical traces of the coastal zone as well as new interesting environments evolved from the reclaimed land. I work my way clockwise from Skarresø in a circular movement along the historical coast. Adding to my filmic exploration, I start to position myself in front of the camera to embody the idea and concept of a physical pathway through the historical, cultural and modern inlet of Rødby fjord. The filmic registrations will in this chapter only appear as screenshots to emphasize and support the findings. In the following, I lay out the lines of a connected pathway as I put the pieces together of the traces of the historical coastal zones of Rødby Fjord.

105

Rødby Fjord anno 1889, Generalstaben, Rødby Fjord 1:40.000 first published in 1908 106

107

Former coast

Orthophoto 2021 Reclamation Zone

Diagram 2.1

108

109

Korterup brook Korterup Dam Kohulerne waters Hoby Dam

The memorial stone

Gloslunde Dam

Mellem Nor Dam

Kramnitze Dam

Lidsø - Bindernæs Dam

Rute of registration Vanished dam constructions Preserved dam constructions Partly preserved dam constructions Diagram 2.2

110

Vejleby Dam Vejleby Holle Dam Slidsholm Bay

Bundvigs Bay and Dam Nebbelunde Dam Skipperhullet Gerringe Brook Dam Kastø Slug Dam

Kirkenor Lake Storeholm Dam

Dragsminde Dam

111

Hedge vegetation along Hedge vegetation along dam

Concret road

Dirt road

Hedge vegetation along dam 3

Concret road

The road on the dike

Roads in natural environments 4

Vejleby church Lalandia The Memorial Stone Nordre Skanse defence station Kramnitze pumping station Passings over the canals

Diagram 2.3 2.

112

dam

Dirt road

Hedge vegetation along dam

Dirt road

Hedge vegetation along dam

Dirt road Hedge vegetation along dam Concret road

Hedge vegetation along former coastal stretch

Roads in natural environments Possible connection

113

1 Nebbelunde Dam with blooming hedge vegetation on top

2 Hoby Dam between Hoby Forest and Hæsø is preserved and accessible. From the former canal lock, you get to see the straight canal running under

3 The preserved south end of Gloslunde dam seen from the campsite at Humingen Campsite

114 4 The dike of Lolland

TRACES OF THE HISTRORICAL DAMS AND THE FORMER COASTAL STRETCH

On diagram 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5 you see the first steps of a comparative study of Generalstabens historical map, the orthophoto from 2021 and onsite visits. From Generalstabens mappings of Rødby Fjord from 1889, I have highlighted the former coast as well as the reclaimed surfaces and merged these layers with the orthophoto from 2021, se diagram 2.1. This marks out the peripheral coastal zone of the late 19th century, from which I draw up a route of registration that pinpoints the preserved, partly preserved and vanished dam constructions in the modern landscapes of Rødby Fjord, see diagram 2.2 On the basis of my onsite registrations, bits and pieces of the historical coastal stretch that collides with existing roads or natural hedges are mapped out in diagram 2.3. I differentiate between public roads, private dirt roads, the path on top of the dike, gravel paths through existing nature establishments and hedges. A surprising lot of the historical coastal outline is visibly present and accessible when mapping out abovementioned roads and hedges. The black dashed lines in the diagram fill in the gaps, sketching out a possible, coherent pathway based on both historical structures and existing structures. Some of the dams are physically intact with established dirt roads used by the local farmers. Among the preserved dams are Hoby Dam, Vejleby Dam (the first dam established in

Rødby Fjord in 1794), Nebbelunde Dam, and Storeholm Dam. Hoby Dam, Vejleby Dam and Storeholm Dam are accessible for passage, while Nebbelunde Dam has evolved into a beautiful hedge, blooming with white and rose flowers during spring. Along several dam constructions, you will find hedge vegetations growing from the sides. Gloslunde Dam, Korterup Dam, Slidsholm Dam and Bundvigs Dam are just partly preserved. Bits and parts of the dam constructions have simply been ploughed down and integrated in the farmland. Gloslunde Dam was for many years called the school path, used by the local kids to access Pilehave School (Hyldtoft, 2009). The constructions of Lidsø-Bindernæs Dam and Mellemnor Dam have been considerably flattened, yet they are highlighted by the established concrete road between Kramnitze and Lang and the nature path connecting Skarresø to Lidsø forest. The only remains between Storeholm, Kastø and Kragenæs are the established dirt roads used by local farmers. Common to all the preserved or vanished dams is how they cut through the existing farmland the way they used to cut through the inlet waters. Diagram 2.2 also highlights the historical waters that have been encapsulated during the reclamation process, including Skipperhullet, Kirkenor, Bundtvig bay and Slidsholm bay, Korterup brook and Kohulerne.

115

Hoby Forest

The Memorial Park

Kramnitze wetlands

Lidsø Vejleby church Lalandia The Memorial Stone Nordre Skanse defence station Kramnitze pumping station Passings over the canals

Diagram 2.4 2.

116

Skarresø wetlands

Gerringe tre plantation

Kirkenor Forest

Park In Rødby

ø Forest

Park In Rødbyhavn Mygfjed Forest

117

1 Remains from the historical waters Skipperhullet. Today it would be considered a pond and its hiding in the middle the farmlands

2 The tall beech trees in The Memorial Park. In between stems, you find small canals about 50 cm deep hiding underneath a cover of dead leaves

3 In a small patch behind a school in Rødby you find a lush meadow where Kirkenor Waters used to be.

118 4 Along many canals, there are hedge plantations and lush uncut grass. You barely see the canal to the left unless you go close to the edge

EVOLVING NATURE ENVIRONMENTS IN THE OFF ROADS OF RØDBY FJORD

Moving through the existing and possible pathways of the historical inlet you experience diverse green and blue structures in close connection to the stretch. Diagram 2.4 points out existing forest volumes, hedges and ponds in close connection to the historical coastal zone, as well as the wetlands and dune beach landscapes described in chapter 3 – Analysis part 1. Hoby Forest, the memorial park, Gerringe tree plantation, Kirkenor Forest, Mygfjed Forest, and the multiple forests around Skarresø and Kramnitze make up big volumes of connected forest with diverse expressive qualities. Though Gerringe tree plantation, Kirkenor Forest and surrounding forests of the memorial park are inaccessible to the public, they seem to point out potential green connection points. In diagram 2.4 red arrows point towards possible connections to existing green structures. By connecting Gerringe tree plantation, Kirkenor Forest and Mindeparken to the pathway new spaces opens up for exploration and development. This includes the former waters Skipperhullet, Gerringe Brook and Kirkenor. It would also enable a connection to the peripheral zone of Rødby. This is also highlighted in diagram 2.5

When leaving the official roads to navigate dirt roads or wild grassland, a number of small patches of private overgrown forest appear. In the wilderness of these forest, scattered around the bleak farmland, you sometimes find hidden ponds surrounded by lush grass vegetation and wild flowers. The waterholes are protected by law, home to several rare amphibian species, birds, hares and insects. These microenvironments are powerful images of the high potential for biodiversity in the landscape. In picture 1 to the left, you see a pond hidden below tall grasses. This pond is what is left of the historical lake Skipperhullet and manifests a sense of raison d’être. In picture 3 to the left, you see the lush and wild meadow that has replaced the waters of Kirkenor.

119

Windmill park

Canals Hummingen

Solar city

Kramnitze

Vejleby church Lalandia The Memorial Stone Nordre Skanse defence station Kramnitze pumping station Passings over the canals

Diagram 2.5 2.

120

Gerringe landfill 3

Rødby 1

Bredfjed

Lalandia

Rødbyhavn

121

1 In the horizon, you find the hedge vegetation that grows along Storeholm Dam and the multiple windmills passing by the former island

2 Just north of the former island Lang, there is a landfill and recycle station from which you can see all the way to Lidsø Forest.

3 Kirkenor canal in between Kirkenor Forest and a rapeseed field. This is where the former inlet would transition into a creek through Sædinge

122 4 The road between the mainland and the island Lang clearly displays the sensation of passing the former inlet. The fields almost resembles the sea

RELATIONS BETWEEN THE FORMER COAST, THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE AND THE CITIES

In diagram 2.5 I have investigated how canals, windmills, solar cities and the larger cities relate to the registered pathway. Mapping out the structures of the cultural landscapes of Rødby Fjord emphasizes some interesting convergences between the cultural landscape and the recreational experiences of the connected pathway. There are two places along the pathway in which you get to experience the windmill parks at close range. This sight is quite extraordinary and rare. Often the windmill parks are experienced in passing from a car, but at Storeholm and at Bundvig Bay you get to enter though the windmill passages. Even from the wetlands of Skarresø, the windmills in the horizon make their mark on the landscape experience. In the landscapes of Rødby Fjord, the dam constructions facilitate access, but they also facilitate an interesting meeting with the deep canals dug into the seabed. When passing the former seabed through the dam constructions, it emphasizes the sculptural impression of the cultural landscape imbedded in the canalized waterways. But also in the outskirts of the inlet, the canals are visible elements in the cultural landscapes. Kirkenor Canal continues past Rødby where it slowly transitions into a creek curving naturally in the landscape.

From Sædingevej, that connects Maribo with Rødby and Rødbyhavn, you can get an amazing view of Kirkenor Canal next to yellow rapeseed fields. A cut crass path along the edge of the fields almost invites you into the cultural landscapes in front of you see picture 2. As a future connected pathway emerges, and starts to point out relations between the existing green structures, the historical layers and the cultural landscape, the importance of accessibility and connection to the surrounding cities, become clear. In diagram 2.5 you see how the pathway starts relating to Rødby and Rødbyhavn aswell as the villages along the dike. Kramnitze pumping station, Vejleby Kirke, the memorial stone, Søndre Skanse defence station, and Lalandia Water Park are tourist attractions to be highlighted in the narrative of the future historical pathway.

123

Vejleby Church tower in the horizon of the path

Remains of Nordre Skanse at Bindernæs

The Memorail Stone and Park

124 Kramnitze pumping station

SUMMERY OF CHAPTER 4 Exploration of Rødby Fjord hinterland, historical traces and evolving nature

In the second part of my analysis, I have unfolded the exploration of Rødby Fjord hinterland and the former coastal zones. Through a number of diagrams extracting and highlighting both historical traces of the former coastal outline and dam constructions, as well as the appearances of existing nature environments, the foundation for a coherent and connected path though the landscapes has been laid. Where the first part of my analysis in chapter 3 was focused on the site-specific intimate stories and narratives of the of the present-day landscapes of the new coastal zone, this chapter has looked into the big scale perspectives, accessibility and connections. I have also highlighted the interesting meetings between the historical landscapes, the modern landscapes and the cultural landscapes that opens op when you explore the otherwise inaccessible farmland. Through studies of maps and onsite registrations I have pieced together a possible connected pathway that will lay the foundation of the further vison and strategic layers of what I call Rødby

Fjord Memorial Path.

125

126

/ 5

VISION & PROPOSAL Connection, access & awareness RØDBY FJORD HISTORICAL COAST PATH

CONNECTED PATHWAY

CONNECTIVITY OF GRASLAND

DEFINING FOREST

INTRODUCING WETLANDS

INFORMATION AND FACILITIES

128

Vision

On the basis of my filmic exploration of the intimate and bodily impressions in chapter 3 and my historical research and onsite registrations in chapter 4, I can now start to articulate the vision of a connected pathway facilitating historical insight, physical access, relations, and diverse intimate and sensory experiences through movement. In the previous, I have pointed out a possible connected pathway relating to physical traces of the past. Now it’s time to unfold and employ the intimate and sensuous environments that are highlighted in the filmic notations in chapter 3. In the following, you will see how I bring forward the powerful landscape experiences from Skarresø and Mygfjed by introducing wetland zones and forest volumes along a curated pathway through time and space. You will see how I create a circular movement that serves to connect the new coast (accentuated in the dike and the dune beach) and the historical coast, together embodying the story of the enormous transformation of Rødby Fjord.

129

130

THE PATHWAY FROM COAST TO COAST

The narrative and concept of Rødby Fjord Memorial Path is physically anchored to a 32-kilometre pathway, connecting historical traces and diverse and potent natural experiences.

sea. The dikes and dams that are non-existent throughout the pathway will be restored to further display the transformational zones of the reclamation process.

The first action of the proposal will therefore be to establish a path that links the pinpointed existing pathways to each other, ensuring a sense of belonging and attachment to the action among the locals from the very beginning.

The broad gravel path, with room for both pedestrians, runners and bicyclists, will from the beginning offer diverse nature experiences from existing environments highlighted i the previous chapters, including access to the preserved and hidden ponds. Furthermore, the pathway will offer a fascinating insight into the biological communities evolving over time as it balances on the edge between planted forest on the outside and grassland on the inside.

By integrating historical dams of earlier reclamation zones as a part of the pathway, access to the important cultural heritage is provided when crossing the agricultural sea from the elevated dike. This is an invitation to engage physically with the cultural landscape and get close to the long steep canals carved into the former seabed and the wide and open surfaces. The sculptural dam constructions strengthen the understanding of a seabed morphology, as they draw a physical line in the landscape showcasing the level of the

In relation to the main route, numerous information boards and location maps will ensure historical insight and knowledge of the diverse surrounding nature environments and plant and animal species of the sites.

131

New forest Existing forest integrated in the proposal Former coastal zone Reclamed land anno 1889

132

DEFINING FOREST FROM COAST TO COAST

From chapter 3 we have learned that within the new coastal zone of Rødby Fjord the emergence of forest is closely related to the islands, almost mimicking the appearance of land form the sea. In this proposal forest volumes, along the former coastal zone, are introduced as a way of highlighting the historical coast as experienced at Mygfjed Forest and Skarholm Forest. The forest will ensure a sense of orientation and connectivity while also framing the reclaimed seabed, which exposes the cultural landscape. The new stretches of forest catch on to existing forests, such as Hoby Forest, the memorial park and related forests Gerringe tree plantation, Kirkenor Forest, Mygfjed Forest and Skarholm Forest. In the northeastern part of the inlet, three isolated forest volumes will emerge from the lost archipelagos, highlighting Kragenæs, Kastø and Storeholm: The Forest Islands. To create a physical connection to the memorial park, the existing forest is expanded towards Vejleby, and a clearing through the forest from the outskirts of Vejleby Holle in direction towards the memorial stone

establishes an awareness of the proportions of the reclamation. The memorial park will now be referred to as The Memorial Forest. The new forest volumes will consist of scotch pine, birch and red scotch, inspired by the species observed in Mygfjed Forest and Skarresø wetlands, and will be a contrast to the existing oak and beech vegetations. These types of forest create good environments for fungi, insects and not least cavity nesters. Using a variation of clearings and closed spaces, the aim is to recreate the intimate and luring atmosphere from the squeaking forest with its Mygfjed pine and scotch forest. The existing hedges that appear along the historical dams enhance the narrative of the meeting between new and old structures, and they will be preserved as they are.

133

134

INTRODUCING WETLAND

An important link to the past waterscape of Rødby Fjord is the existence of water in the reclaimed landscape. This has been established in chapter 3 though the filmic notation / I see pieces of the past in the shimmering soils of the present. Wetland zones are introduced in the small pockets of the landscape on agricultural soils that are most likely to be flooded during heavy rain incidents. Using the canals and the drainage system to control the water level, the way they did at Skarresø wetlands, water will be allowed to rise and re-establish a connection to the former inlet waters. Several of the introduced wetland zones are references to past waters that are present in the Generalstabens historical map from 1889. This includes Skipperhullet, Gerringe Creek and Kirkenor north of Rødby. The wetland surfaces withhold great biodiverse potential and recreational value. The lush nature experienced at the existing ponds are home to multiple flowers herbs, pads and insects.

135

GRASSLAND AND MEADOW

Grassland and meadow vegetations will be introduced along the pathway as a reference to the widespread stretches of pastureland and beach meadow that used to dominate the historical coastal zone. The grassland creates a transitional zone between the forest and the farmland, which emphasizes the fluidity of a coastal outline. I use Generalstabens mappings of the reclaimed zones as a background to define and frame the grassland zone along the coast. The boarders and inlet morphology around Skipperhullet, Rødby and Bindernæs enable bigger grassland and wetlands zones to be introduced as a part of the proposal. Due to the existing variation of dry and wet environments connected to the pathway, vegetation ranges from red fescue, seaside centaury and distant sedge on the dry soils, with water avens, great manna grass or cyperus sedge on the wet soils.

136

INFORMATION AND FACILITIES

Information boards in the landscape will help navigate in the historical landscape. Along Rødby Fjord Memorial Path, information boards will present and point out interesting historical traces, rare bird species, insects and botanical qualities thus increasing awareness of the multiple layers of Rødby Fjord. Public shelters at Mygfjed Forest and near Vejleby Church, as well as existing shelters at Hummingen Campsite, will invite locals and tourists to spend their weekend exploring the multiple and diverse environments of Rødby Fjord Memorial Path. To enhance the concept of being below sea-level when passing through the former seabed at The Memorial Forest, the clearing through forest will be highlighted with poles displaying the sea-level. This underlines the abstract experience of walking through a negative space below the water surface. A birdwatching tower attached to the dike overlooking Skarresø will facilitate a magnificent hideout from which to observe rare bird species and thousands of migratory birds coming to Skarresø each year. And finally, a view tower at the remains of Nordre Skanse in Bindernæs will provide an extraordinary view of the sea and the reclaimed lands of Rødby Fjord.

137

Korterup Dam Hæsø Forest

Vejleby Forest

Vejleby Kirke

Hoby Dam

Hoby Forest

Pilehave Forest

The Memorial Forest and The Memorial Stone

Hummingen

Bredfjed

Gloslunde Dam

Bundtvig Dam

Forest outside the pathway

Gerringe Forest

Kramnitze pumping station Skipperhullet wetlands

Kramnitze

Kirkenor Forest

Lang

Kramnitze Harbour

Skarholm Forest

+ Birdwatching tower

Isle Forests

Gerringe Wastland

Storeholm Forest

Kirkenor wetlands

Storeholm Dam

Skarresø wetlands

Rødby

Lang wetlands Lidsø

Lidsø Wetlands

Mygfjed Forest

Viewtower

Bindernæs wetlands

E47

+ Bindernæs Forest

Lalandia 138

Rødby Havn Fehmarn Belt connection and beach

RØDBY FJORD MEMORIAL PATH 1:40000

Rødby Fjord Memorial Path in the south of Lolland offers a historical insight to the story of how the former inlet of Rødby Fjord transitioned into the cultural landscape we know today. A 32-kilometre curated pathway along and across the former inlet invites locals, tourists, history enthusiasts and hikers to explore the new coastal pine, scotch and birch forests, the wide and open grassland and meadows, the hidden ponds and wetlands and finally the dike of Lolland, which offers a magnificent view over Fehmarn Belt Waters and the south coast of Lolland. You can also pay a visit to Kramnitze pumping station, Vejleby Church from 1400, the Memorial Stone in the middle of the reclaimed seabed or the view tower raised on the remains of the Søndre Skanse defence station from 1644. The dike-shelters overlooking Mygfjed Forest invite you to spend the night to the sound of the waves lapping the shore. On quiet nights you might even get to hear the squeaking pine and scotch forest.

Masterplan 1:35000

140

Clearing and view point Overlooking the windmill passage up north Birch, spruce and pine

-0,5 x 0 -0,5

New Forest Hæsø Forest A

Resting spot overlooking Kohulerne Existing hedge vegetation -1

C´ 0 -0,5 x 1 0,5

Hoby Forest

Hoby Dam Existing dam construction

5 x 4,5 2 -0,5

-1

Farmland

The former seabed

-2

Rødby canal Begining of windmill park

141

x -3,5

Mindestensvej

Open view over the reclaimed seabed -1,5 -2

THE MEMORIAL FOREST

Korterup Dam reconstructed dam construction

-0,5

New Forest Vejleby Forest

ction

-0,5

Parking and extrance

nstru

-1

3 4 3,5 x 4,5

-1,5

Exist

Ågeby brook

ing d

ike co

Existing dike construction

2 2,5

Vejleby Church

Shelter and campsite

Existing forest

Former coast

Existing ponds in the farmland

Vejleby Holle Villagex 3 2,5

Parking and extrance

Langelinie

ari Cle

The Memorial Forest

The Memorial Forest Existing and new oak and beech forest Clearing sage around pond lm pas o h s d i t Sl e fores h t n i ng Cleari Small canal bridge

ton

B´´

lS oria

m Me - 1 Parking

B´

e Th

fore e h t

A´

00,5 1 -2

-1,5

-1

-0,5 3

The Memorial Forest 1:10000 142 Section AA´ 1:5000 displaying the open space between Hæsø Forest and The Memorial Forest

143

Oak and beech forest

The poles show the level of the sea

The Memorial Stone

The Memorial Stone is an anchor in Rødby Fjord Memorial Path. A broad passage through the forest towards the Memorial Stone makes the proportions of the reclamation stand out and creates space around the stone. This takes us back to 1927, when the stone stood by itself in the bleak muddy seabed. The sea level poles raises awareness of the fact that you are walking below sealevel.

144

Windmills in the horizon

Section BB´ of the memorial stone 1:200

Former Bundvig Dam will be integrated as part of the pathway and gives the opportunity to get close to the canals, the farmland and the historical dam construction. Furthermore, you pass right though one of the windmill passages of the site.

145

Visualisation of Bundvig Dam as an integrated part of the connected pathway

146

Via Hoby Dam you get from Hoby Forest to Hæsø Forest. The preserved dam construction will be integrated in the pathway, and the hedge vegetation along the northern part will serve as a perfect place to have a rest and enjoy your lunch overlooking the canal and the sugar beet crops.

147

Illustration/section 1:400

148

Storeholm Forest New forest of birch, spruce and pine

Farmland

A part of Isle Forests

0 - 0,5

Grassland Windmill park - 0,5

Storeholm Dam Existing dam construction Rødby canal

- 0,5

x0 -1

Existing ponds and surrounding forests

Kirkenor Forests New forest of birch, spruce and pine x 2,5

Langs Vejlevej Lang wetlands x -2

Existing pond and forest patch

149

KIRKENOR AND STOREHOLM Parking and entrance

Farmland

1,5 1 0,5 0 - 0,5

Rødby Fjord Memorial Path -1

nds

etla W r o

x2 ken Kir x -1,5

Existing forest New forest of birch, spruce and pine 0

nds

etla W r o

- 1,5

ken

Kir

Rødby recycle station

Kirkenor canal

Rødby local park

School - 0,5 0

Grassland and wet meadow Nursing home

Rødby Church

G´

Rødby

Kirkenor and storeholm 1:10000 150 Section GG´ 1:2000 Kirkenor wetlands and the periphery of Rødby Fjord

South of Rødby a wetland areas is created in the landscape pockets between the former mainland and the former island Lang. In the horizon to the right, you see the hedge vegetation at Storeholm Dam and in the background you see yet another windmill park setting foot at the former island Storeholm.

151

Visualisation of the Lang wetlandzones

152

The isles Forests consists of Storeholm, Kastø and Kragenæs. This visialisation shows the entrance to Storeholm Forest from north west.

153

Entrace to Rødby Fjord Memorial Path from the northern end of Kirkenor

154

Dragsminde outlet

Lidsøvej

Farmland

-2 -1 -1 ,5 0,5

Dike construction Existing Forest

Meadow -1.5-1.5

Existing Forest

Existing pine and sprouce

Existing canal passage between Bindernæs and Mygfjed 0

New forest of birch, sprouce and pine

Skansen view tower 3,5 0,5

3,5 1

Existing green -2 -0,5 passage Existing recreational area connected to Lalandia vacation homes Lalandia vacation homes

Dune beach The dike

Lalandia 0,50 0

3,5 Meadow Lalandia Water Park

155

Bindernæ

0,5 0

-1 -0,5

0,5

Mygfjed Forest

-2

F´

0,5

small d constru -1

Existing Forest

BINDERNÆS FOREST AND WETLANDS

0,5 -2

0 -0,5

2,5 3 3,5 D´

dike uction

0 -0,5 -1 -1.5 -2 Bindernæs Wetlands

Small canal bridge

Gravel path through The wetlandzone

New forest of birch, sprouce and pine

1,5 1 0,5

Existing pond

1,5

0 2

Existing pond and forest

æs Forest

Bindernæsvej Farmland

Entrance Rødby Fjord Memorial Path Existing local parc

Sports hall 0,51

2x 1,5

2,5

Havnevej

2,5 Church

Rødbyhavn Bindernæs Forest and Wetlands 1:10000 156 Section DD´ 1:5000 displaying the open space of the former inlet and the established wetlandzone

Nordre Skanse defence station at the tip of Bindernæs Forest. From the view tower you will be able to get an overview of Rødby Fjord. Information boards in the tower will help you navigate in the historical and the present-day landscape. Bindernæs Forest and Wetlands are in close connection to Lalandia waterpark and the nearby vaccation houses. This makes the Rødby Fjord Memorial path attactive to both danish and german turists visiting the waterpark. 157

Illustration/section 1:400

158

Just a few kilometers up noth of Mygfjed Forest you find Skarresø Wetlands on the other side of the dike. To emphasize awarenes and acces to the protected bird sanctuary, there will be established a Birdwatching tower i relation to the dike.

159

Illustration/section of birdwatching tower up north at Skarresø 1:400

160

161

/ 6

OUTRO Discussion and Reflection 162

DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION

I entered this thesis process wishing to acquire new insights into the landscape architectural practise by exploring a filmic methodology. My aim was to investigate the potentials of the film medium and the filmmaking process in dialogue with the exploration of the historical footprint and transitional reclamation process of Rødby Fjord. In the beginning of the process, I asked myself how the story of the physical transformation that took place during 200 years could be brought to attention and visually transmitted in the modern landscape of Rødby Fjord, in order to create a connection between the historical, cultural and future identity of Rødby Fjord. Based on a two-part analysis shedding light on existing and historical structures and inherent qualities of the modern landscapes of Rødby fjord, I have pieced together a connected pathway providing access to, and awareness of, the historical layers of Rødby Fjord. I have worked strategically highlighting the dams and the former coastal outline, and thus I emphasize existing landscape typologies and qualities through connection and implemented new green structures that create a new context, new spatialities and new historical and future references. This proposal offers a solution to the sense of historical disorientation and neglect that I saw displayed most clearly in the endless farmland and the unmotivated presentation of the Memorial Stone. The fact that Lolland is so economically dependent on the agricultural sector while also suffering from depopulation, stresses the need for a new future reference, founded in the past, yet engaging with both present and future challenges, as well as possibilities, in the Rødby

163

Fjord area. I have found that Rødby Fjord carries many traces of the physical reclamation process, just as it offers a variety of sensuous, intimate and interesting nature environments, some of them expressed in the filmic notations and some of them expressed in chapter 4. This, I believe, will support the idea of a connected pathway of new landscape structures as a way to access the existing stories in the landscape. In this thesis I have not included thoughts and reflections on how to engage the local farmers and landowners regarding the involved private agricultural parcels. The agricultural parcels have often been passed on through generations. This is obviously a crucial consideration in the process of realisation as the proposal includes multiple parcels. Rather, this proposal lays the grounds for a possible scenario and alternative narrative to strengthen the identity of Rødby Fjord. It has been a challenge for me to work with such a big scale project as I have struggled to balance the big-scale perspectives and the small-scale perspectives. In between the detailed intimate explorations of the environments around the dike and the historical and geographical overview of Rødby Fjord in a scale of 1:40.000, it was hard to find a meaningful scale that could offer the right amount of insight to my proposal.

The filmic methodology Studying the multiple layers of the landscapes of Rødby Fjord though a filmic work method has been powerful, rewarding and challenging. I want to bring forward some of my reflections about

filming, filmmaking and what role the filmic method has had on the outcome of my thesis exploration. Filming is a way to enter a landscape experience that requires a bodily presence. The sharpened focus on your surroundings awakens the senses to the small details and the big sensations. At the same time, the film camera creates a space between the photographer and the experienced landscape through which the photographer manifests her actions and decisions. What do you film, how do you film it and why? In addition, the film camera cannot adequately capture the full picture of what the eye sees, which gives rise to immediate and intuitive decisions on how to frame the landscape in front of you. To exemplify, I had a discouraging felling when I looked though the filmic registrations of Kramnitze Havn, thinking that it didn’t really capture the essence of my sensuous and bodily impression and the grandiosity from the site. While this might have been the case, I later learned how new meaning and impressions could evolve through the act of editing.

world of its own. Being that this is my final project at the school of Landscape Architecture, I have allowed myself to dive deep into this parallel universe to see how far that would get me, trying to find a balance between dreams and reality. Kentridge’s reflections on how images and ideas emerge in the looseness of trying different things has led to many interesting creations, some of them relevant to the thesis, others perhaps more relevant in other contexts. To sum up I have presented the work of five filmic notations as a part of my initial analysis of Rødby Fjord: 1. / I see things that were, going quiet behind my

eyes 2. / I see pieces of the past in the shimmering

soil of the present 3. / I see the forest emerge in the lee of the dike 4. / I see transitions emerge thorough movement 5. / I see encounters between reality and dreams

in the ponds of the farmland The filmmaking process, as I have referred to as the act of editing, is where I see the qualities of the filmic method expressed most strongly. It is in the numerous choices of what to edit, how it is edited and how image and sound relate to each other, that the act of filmmaking becomes interesting and valuable. During this process, new images and new spatial environments sprout from my filmic notations. I enter a new landscape experience. The filmmaking process has given access to a sequential, layered, liberating, poetic and abstract

The filmic notations / I see things that were, going quiet behind my eyes, / I see pieces of the past in the shimmering soil of the present and / I

see encounters between reality and dreams in the ponds of the farmland show how the film medium can transcend both time and space with clear references to historical events expressed though images of the present. These notations have been instrumental in the articulation of the dualistic properties embedded in Rødby Fjord: the past and the present, above and below water, the new coast and the historical coast, the deep inher-

164

ent structures and the structures of the cultural landscape. I see a great quality in the playful and strangely abstract way images dissolve into each other in several of my filmic notations, but I also question sometimes whether or not the intention of the filmic notation is clear to the spectator, as a film can provoke different readings and understandings depending on the receiver. On the other hand, I found that the titles have helped to unfold both the abstractions and the intentions of the filmic notations. An aspect I hadn’t taken into consideration in the beginning, was the role of sound both in reality and on film. Onsite, sounds installs a sense of orientation, an idea of weather conditions and feelings of happiness, danger etc. The sounds are physically anchored to you and the specific place you are finding yourself. When editing a film, you work with visual layers and audio layers as two separate layers that can be pieced together in multiple ways. In the filmic notations / I see the forest emerge in the lee of the dike and /

I see encounters between reality and dreams in the ponds of the farmland I experiment with an outro in which the sounds of squeaking trees or rippling water from the canals is prolonged even after the visual narrative has ended. This can have a tremendous effect and points to another reason why including film in a landscape architectural process can be of great value, awakening yet another sense, the sense of the ear. Interestingly the soundscape from the first visit at Rødby Fjord in March and the second visit in June are considerably different and portray very opposite atmospheres. The sounds of winter and the sounds of summer, harsh wind and chirpy birds.

165

One of the most challenging aspects of the filmic process to me was how to make the jump from the filmic analysis to a strategic proposal. While editing was a powerful tool in expressing sensory interpretations of my landscape site, it was far more difficult to project those qualities into the presentation of the proposal. I have pointed out how the film can offer a tool to transfer a bodily experience, but ultimately, when working with landscape architectural proposals, the filmic explorations need to be supported by more traditional architectural presentation forms, such as plan drawings, diagrams and sections for clarity and precision. Furthermore, the filmic method is extremely time demanding and requires that you engage physically with your site, pointing out the challenges of working with film in professional architectural design offices and governmental institutions, where time is of the essence. This is perhaps where the filmic exploration falls short. However, going from registration and explorative drawings of the embodied experiences of sites, to making a concept and strategy out of it, is already a known difficult stage in design practice, using film or not. So, a constant intermediate state, working with explorative drawings and film while retaining close ties to the more conventional drawings used in communication with other parties involved in a project, is important. In the end I have gained insight into the powerful qualities of the filmic methodology in the perspective of future landscape architectural practice, and I would like to further explore and introduce it into my own practice, whether it seeks to answer a landscape architectural matter or it serves to unfold and communicate a sensuous landscape experiences to other landscape enthusiasts.

166

REFERENCES

BOOKS: Gravesen, P., Binderup, M., Houmark-Nielsen, M. & Krüger, J. (2017) Geologisk set: Sjælland og øerne, 1. udgave, 1. oplag, Denmark: GO Forlag Hyldtoft, N. E., (2009) Bag diger og dæmninger i Rødby Fjord, 2. udgave, Maribo: Museum Lolland-Falster Stenak, M. (2005) De inddæmmede landskaber: En historisk geografi, 1. udgave, 1. oplag, Denmark: Landbohistorisk Selskab Louisiana Revy (2017) William Kentridge Thick Time, 57. Årgang, hæfte 2, Denmark: Gyldendal

ARTICLES: Munck Petersen, R., & Farsø, M. (2016). Affective Architecture. Film as a Sensory Transference Tool and an Intimacy Projection Environment. In N. Rémy, & N. Tixier (Eds.), Congress proceeding (1 ed., Vol. 1, pp. 207- 212). International Ambiances Network & University of Thessaly. Munck Petersen, R., & Farsø, M. (2019). Resonance and Transcendence of a Bodily Presence: How a filmic mapping of non-visual, aural and bodily relations in space can strengthen the sensory dimension in landscape architectural design. I I. Troiani, & H. Campbell (red.), Architecture filmmaking (1 udg., s. 299-321). Intellect Ltd ONLINE SOURCES: Art21, (2010), William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible, Visited last at 25th of September on: https://art21.org/watch/william-kentridge-anything-is-possible/full-program-william-kentridge-anything-is-possible/ Lolland Kommune, (November 2013), Sydlollands slettelandskab, Visited last at 9th of August on: https://lolland.viewer.dkplan.niras.dk/media/258049/10-Sydlollands-slettelandskab-til-print.pdf Lolland Kommune (April 2013), Det inddæmmede landskab, Visited last at 9th of August on: https://lolland.viewer.dkplan.niras.dk/media/258025/2-Det-inddaemmede-landskab-til-print.pdf

167

Slægtsforskernes Bibliotek (1956), Lolland-Falsters historiske Samfund, Visited last at 25th of September on: https://slaegtsbibliotek.dk/911776.pdf Kristeligt Dagblad (2017), Efter 100 år må Lolland-Falsters sukkerroe-dyrkere indse, at livsgrundlaget er truet, Visited last at 25th of September on: https://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/danmark/efter-100-aar-maa-lolland-falsters-sukkerroe-dyrkere-indse-deres-livsgrundlag-er-truet Erhvervsstyrelsen (2019), Idéoplæg til samling af solcelleanlæg ved Rødby Fjord, Visited last at 25th of September on: https://planinfo.erhvervsstyrelsen.dk/sites/default/files/media/ideoplaeg_samling_af_solcelleanlaeg_ ved_roedby_fjord_april_2019.pdf Lidsø Gods (2017), Lidsø Naturprojekt, En kystnær naturperle, Visited last at 25th of September on: http://www.lidsoe.dk/wp-content/uploads/Lidsoe-Naturprojekt-folder.pdf danmarkshistorien.dk (2012), Rødby, Visited last at 25th of September on: https://danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/roedby/ HistoriskAtlas.dk, Det lollandske dige, Visited last at 25th of September on: https://historiskatlas.dk/Det_lollandske_dige_(14495) HistoriskAtlas.dk, Kramnitse, Visited last at 25th of September on: https://historiskatlas.dk/Kramnitse_(6352) HistoriskAtlas.dk, Skanserne i Rødbyfjord, Visited last at 25th of September on: https://historiskatlas.dk/Skanserne_i_Rødbyfjord_(6647)

MAPS Orthophotos form Maps from Styrelsen for dataforsyning og effektivisering: https://sdfekort.dk/spatialmap Historical Maps from Geodatastyrelsen https://hkpn.gst.dk/

168

I AM LED BY PAST WATERS

Articles inside

References

Masterplan

Discussion and reflection

Information and facilities

Defining Forest

Introcucing Wetland

The hinterland of Rødby Fjord - Walk with me 5

The pathway - From coast to coast

Summery of Chapter 4 - Exploration of Rødby Fjord hinterland, historical traces and evolving nature

Mygfjed Forest - Walk with me 3

Rødby Havn - Walk with me 4

Skarresø wetlands Walk with me 2

Introduction

ANALASYS PART 1

Kramnitze Havn - Walk with Me 1

I see things that were, going quiet behind my eyes

ANALYSIS PART 2

VISION AND PROPOSAL

Methods and process

Filmmaking as a way to enter a landscape experience