This scheme proposes transforming the basin of the River Maas in Limburg to prevent it flooding its banks in the future. It additionally sets out to express to the full the originally temperamental nature of the particular section of river following the border with Belgium (the 'Grensmaas' of the title). To do so it focuses on five characteristic aspects: safety, ruggedness, wild water canoing, purification and gravel.

The bed of the Maas in Limburg is the only source of gravel in the Netherlands. If this gravel were to be excavated to avoid future flooding, it would take thirty years to provide enough to build 2,800,000 houses as well as create an inhabited nature reserve of 10,000 hectares.

In this proposal the sloping land is dug out into horizontal planes. The result is a rugged landscape in which 'riffles', fast-flowing shallow sections of river with a great fall in water level and much erosion, alternate with pools, having a lesser fall in level and much sedimentation. In summer this leads to dry expanses of gravel, in the winter to choreographed flooding. The villages in the valley remain dry, being gradually sculpted into mounds in the river by the surrounding excavations. The major villages receive a high-water link, the minor ones are only accessible at high water by boat or landrover.

Already during construction the new landscape will be Holland's number one locality for wild water canoing and trout fishing. Other functions can be sited there too. In return, the river has conditions of its own that need satisfying. Even the highest parts of the gravel islands will flood once every few years, and most islands will shift their position. An essential feature of the scheme is that the planning area will be in a state of permanent development, even after excavation has ceased, when the landscape will go on shaping itself.

Place of education: Amsterdam
Tutors: Christian Zalm, Winy Maas & Berdie Olthof
Specialization: urban planning/architecture.