This proposal for the Land van Maas en Waal, an area in the Province of Gelderland, is a personal answer to the question of what twenty-five years of sand dredging could do for this area. The Land van Maas en Waal, lying to the west of the dual urban node of Arnhem-Nijmegen, is an empty agricultural expanse edged with zones for nature development and recreation. Large-scale mineral extraction, nature resources, motorways, intensive forms of agriculture, and industry - all these are laying ever greater claims on the area. Monotonous new-build threatens to destroy the village character and the intertwining of village and landscape. Such developments make it necessary to ponder the future of this typical river area. This strategy is premised on the problematic of sand excavation. The reasons for this are the economic power of such excavations, the spatial impact, the prevailing fear of erosion and the authorities' wish to concentrate the sand excavation sites. The advantages of more rapid excavation on a larger scale are the much lower costs and the far rosier perspectives for the region.

In the newly designed excavation landscape, daily living environments are being developed that will enhance the relationship between water, ground, height and building site. Given the inexpensive residual ground made available by the excavation process, the disappearance of agricultural encumbrances and the lack of great natural value, there can be no objections against occupying the new landscape along appropriate lines. The increased mobility can be met by greatly improving the cycling infrastructure and the currently deplorable public transport system. This can be achieved by profits from the expected massive increase in tourism, and by diverting part of whatever investments might be made into designing the lakes thrown up by the excavations. The inhabitants of this new landscape would be people fleeing the traditional settlement types in search of freedom and room to move. Armed with laptop, satellite, bicycle, car and boat, they could feel very much at home in this well-watered and attractive living environment. There is no need to build the new houses in the existing villages.

Place of education: Tilburg
Tutors: Lodewijk van Nieuwenhuijze
Specialization: urban planning/architecture.