Altered Paradigms: Constructed Nature in the Netherlands

The Netherlands, a country historically challenged by inundation, is renowned for its expertise in hard engineered water infrastructure and management.  However, faced with severe threats from the early effects of climate change and rising sea levels, the Dutch have recognized the grave outcomes of depending extensively on hard infrastructure. These pressing challenges necessitated an innovative approach and fresh perspectives to better address these transitions. In recent years, the country has shown a radical outlook in its water management projects, with the concept of nature-based infrastructure and designing with nature gaining significant traction in the overall landscape of the country.

 

This story offers insights into three selected cases, each presenting a unique type of coastal edge with its own distinct challenges. These cases represent some of the emerging pilot projects that are reshaping the future of water edge infrastructure worldwide and offer valuable lessons for sustainable coastal development.

The Room for the River (RfR)  project in the Netherlands is one of the key programs that represent a paradigm shift in Dutch water management approaches. Initiated in response to the nation's susceptibility to heightened flood risks induced by climate change, the project navigates the intersection of urban development and the preservation of natural floodplains. By strategically redefining and redistributing space along key river corridors across 34 locations, the program mitigates flood risks, enhances biodiversity, and fosters sustainable landscapes.

RfR intervention along the Waal River in Nijmegen is a flagship project and one of the most complex undertakings within the nationwide program. The path of the Waal makes a sharp bend between the neighborhoods of Nijmegen and Lent, creating a bottleneck that poses a higher risk of flooding on the anterior side of the river’s path where the city of Nijmegen is located. The project specifically aims to address this through a twofold strategy: first, relocating the pre-existing dyke inland, and second, creating a kilometer-long water channel alongside a peninsula designed to intake the overflow from the primary waterway. 

 

This design creates a dynamic landscape that swells and retreats as per the seasonal water inflows with the help of the new supporting channel. The channel carries up to one-third of the total water discharge through the new channel and also provides spaces for recreational activities that are designed to be functional even when the river park is flooded.

In a country where annual coastal beach replenishment is a necessity, the Sand Engine project represents a pioneering approach to coastal erosion management. Coastal beach replenishment is a process that involves the artificial placement of sand on an eroded shore to replenish the amount of sand in the coastal foundation. This method aims to counteract natural erosion and, to varying degrees, shield the area from storm surges. The traditional practice of sourcing sand from the seabed raises several concerns as this process leads to higher costs and repeated disturbance of the marine and foreshore ecosystem over time.  

 

The Sand Engine project ingeniously addresses this challenge by implementing an innovative alternative–instead of extracting sand from the seabed, the intervention relies on the strategic deposition of vast quantities of sand in a specific area along the coastline. This technique harnesses natural forces such as wind, waves, and currents to gradually distribute the sand, shaping the coastline and fostering dynamic dune formation. Over a longer period, the expanded coast also provides an opportunity for leisure activities and space for nature development. This method of building with nature not only alleviates the negative environmental impact associated with seabed extraction but also promotes a regenerative and long-term model for coastal landscapes.

The Netherlands, with a quarter of its land below sea level, heavily reinforces its North Sea coast to remain dry. The country has been administering these reinforcements for years, periodically strengthening the system. Along certain stretches of its coastline, dunes act as vital natural coastal defense systems that protect against erosion and storm surges. These dunes accumulate sand, dissipate waves, support biodiversity, and gradually stabilize shorelines. However, in recent times, certain sections of the dune coastline, including Katwijk aan Zee, were found to be weakening. This presented a challenge to the town, as it served as a critical link in the coastal defense network as well as a key tourist destination that contributes to the local economy. Hence, the intervention took a multi-faceted approach aimed not only at serving as a reinforcement measure but also as a solution that integrates nature and societal functions. 

 

The project achieved this through the construction of a dike that doubled as an underground parking facility, reinforced with seaward dunes that blend with the surrounding natural environment. The thoroughfares between the constructed dunes and the beaches were also designed to connect seamlessly with the existing street network of the town, facilitating optimal connection. This project here serves as the perfect example of a holistic approach to infrastructure that caters to the diverse requirements of the site while being sensitive to the surrounding landscape and environment.

As India faces its unique challenges with water, it is imperative to learn from successful global projects. The experience in the Netherlands concerning water edges demonstrates a shift from relying on hard engineering solutions to a paradigm that embraces learning from the past and designing with nature. The outcomes are self explanatory. Projects of this nature not only highlight engineering and water management ingenuity but also serve as blueprints for 21st-century infrastructure—ones that do not revert to problem-solving norms that disregard negative consequences.

References

H+N+S Landscape Architects. (n.d.). Room for River Nijmegen.

Retrieved from https://www.hnsland.nl/en/projects/room-river-nijmegen/

 

Archello. (n.d.). Katwijk Coastal Defence (NL).

Retrieved from https://archello.com/project/katwijk-coastal-defence-nl

 

Climate Adapt. (n.d.). Sand Motor (2013): Building with Nature solution to improve coastal protection along Delfland Coast, the Netherlands.

Retrieved from https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/en/metadata/case-studies/

 

Climate Adapt. (n.d.). Room for the River Waal – protecting the city of Nijmegen. Retrieved from https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/en/metadata/case-studies/

 

 

Acknowledgments

 

This research was an extension of a course titled “Making Room for Rivers: Learning from the Dutch Experience” during Summer School (2023), organized by CEPT University in collaboration with TU Delft for the Water4Change project. 

Water4Change (2019-2024) is a research project dedicated to formulate an integrative and fit-for-purpose water-sensitive design framework for secondary Indian cities. Out of the four work packages, CEPT University (Ahmedabad) and the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands lead the work package on spatial-ecological water sensitive planning and design.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and the Dutch Research Council (NWO) provided joint funding to “Water4Change”. The DST, Government of India, supports the Indian Water4Change activity to CEPT University under sanction order number F. No. DST/TM/EWO/WTI/NWO/2K19/02 (C2) and G(2) dated 1 October 2019.

About the Author

Soha Gandhi is an Urban Designer who graduated from CEPT University in Ahmedabad. Her work and research revolve around ecological planning, water management, and creating productive landscapes. She is deeply interested in exploring practices that combine urbanism and ecology as mutually interdependent systems.