Sponsland
Sponsland projectarea
The climate challenges
The Groninger land is a truly remarkable landscape: rich and ancient. The soil map looks enchanting in all its variety. This region holds records in many respects: the most beautiful village, one of the oldest cultivated landscapes in Western Europe, the best agricultural land and the most unique nature in a delta. Yet, countless changes are to be expected. Many related to our changing climate. Summers are getting drier and hotter, winters wetter. Seawater is rising, groundwater is sinking and the earth is shaking.
Nowhere in the Netherlands does the climate challenge converge in such a concentrated way as in Groningen. Combined with various socio-economic challenges and a fast-growing city next to a shrinking countryside, makes the province an excellent experimental ground.
Sponsland zooms in on a section of the Groningen landscape. The journey will take one from the Hondsrug and Hunze Valley, via the city axes and the city center, the Reitdiep and the Hogeland to Schiermonnikoog. Along the way one comes across the nine Sponsland design locations: five in the city and four in the rural area.
Nowhere in the Netherlands does the climate challenge converge in such a concentrated way as in Groningen. Combined with various socio-economic challenges and a fast-growing city next to a shrinking countryside, makes the province an excellent experimental ground.
Sponsland zooms in on a section of the Groningen landscape. The journey will take one from the Hondsrug and Hunze Valley, via the city axes and the city center, the Reitdiep and the Hogeland to Schiermonnikoog. Along the way one comes across the nine Sponsland design locations: five in the city and four in the rural area.
The climate challenges
We do not know how fast it will go, but it is for certain that we will have to prepare for climate change. How big the impact of the changing climate will be in 20120 can only be predicted approximately. Has the sea level risen by a meter, or even more? It might be warmer by an average of two degrees, or maybe by four. And that it will rain less in summer and more in spring and autumn is a trend, but how severe will those differences be?
Still, looking a hundred years ahead is no guesswork. It is an imaginable future, for which we can prepare for now.
Still, looking a hundred years ahead is no guesswork. It is an imaginable future, for which we can prepare for now.
The system challenges
Tasks for the nine project sites
Along the blue lines of the landscape, from the Drents Plateau to the North Sea, lie the nine Sponsland locations for which the landscape architects were asked to sketch a perspective. A perspective that not only solves the technical climate problems, but also enhances the beauty of the city and its surroundings, and sets the course for a sustainable use of the earth.
The rising sea level affects coastal defenses and the nature of the Wadden Sea, and also causes salinization of the groundwater far inland. Is it possible to keep Schiermonnikoog liveable and even make the island self-sufficient under those circumstances? Can we close local cycles and restore biodiversity in the Hogeland by adapting a different form of food production? What is the best strategy to retain precious freshwater along the entire blue line of the Hunze and the Reitdiep at the same time as preserving the vulnerable peat bed?
How do we keep the city cool and pleasant, and how do we find space to collect rainwater? This is a crucial question, especially in the densely built-up historic city center. The challenge for the four city-axes is to connect and initiate a new urban economy, based on sustainable mobility.
The rising sea level affects coastal defenses and the nature of the Wadden Sea, and also causes salinization of the groundwater far inland. Is it possible to keep Schiermonnikoog liveable and even make the island self-sufficient under those circumstances? Can we close local cycles and restore biodiversity in the Hogeland by adapting a different form of food production? What is the best strategy to retain precious freshwater along the entire blue line of the Hunze and the Reitdiep at the same time as preserving the vulnerable peat bed?
How do we keep the city cool and pleasant, and how do we find space to collect rainwater? This is a crucial question, especially in the densely built-up historic city center. The challenge for the four city-axes is to connect and initiate a new urban economy, based on sustainable mobility.
Future landscape of Sponsland
The nine Sponsland designs cannot be seen separate from each other. The city will be a varied experimental ground, with the opportunities offered by each location being increased. In rural areas, New Deals are created between its users - farmers, nature organizations, water boards, residents - in order to be able to utilize each other's investments. Together, the nine designs provide the Groningen region with four inspiring themes for its future.
1. Use the ground link a sponge
Schiermonnikoog: Fresh Water Bubble
On Schiermonnikoog, as a self-sufficient island, stimulating the natural dynamic growth of dunes and polder goes hand in hand with the preservation of a large volume of freshwater in the subsoil. This water is reused on the island for as long as possible for a varied local food production.
Hunzevallei: Aquabattery
In the sandy subsoil of the Hunze valley such a high amount of water is stored that sufficient drinking water for the city can be extracted in the future. Thanks to a smart infiltration system from the Hondsrug and overflow of the river, the entire valley becomes a water battery which feeds the growth of raised peat and provides the peat colonies with fresh water. It creates a rich and accessible nature reserve at armlength of the city.
On Schiermonnikoog, as a self-sufficient island, stimulating the natural dynamic growth of dunes and polder goes hand in hand with the preservation of a large volume of freshwater in the subsoil. This water is reused on the island for as long as possible for a varied local food production.
Hunzevallei: Aquabattery
In the sandy subsoil of the Hunze valley such a high amount of water is stored that sufficient drinking water for the city can be extracted in the future. Thanks to a smart infiltration system from the Hondsrug and overflow of the river, the entire valley becomes a water battery which feeds the growth of raised peat and provides the peat colonies with fresh water. It creates a rich and accessible nature reserve at armlength of the city.
Schiermonnikoog: Fresh Water Bubble
Project by: LAMA landscape architects
Hunzevallei: Aquabattery
Project by: Bureau B+B Urbanism and Landscape Architecture
2. Strengthen the heritage through change
City center: 100 Water Monuments
By adding many small, cleverly placed elements for water storage, heavy rain showers are absorbed and the city center becomes cooler in summer. Additionally, the public space is enriched with a series of beautiful and pleasant places to stay.
Reitdiep: ++ Water heritage
To counterbalance to salinization of the groundwater, the creation of many fresh surface water is vital. In a small-scale pattern of ditches in the old cultural landscape and as water storage in the meanders of the historic creeks. This strengthens the landscape heritage, and provides local agriculture with a future in the coming century.
By adding many small, cleverly placed elements for water storage, heavy rain showers are absorbed and the city center becomes cooler in summer. Additionally, the public space is enriched with a series of beautiful and pleasant places to stay.
Reitdiep: ++ Water heritage
To counterbalance to salinization of the groundwater, the creation of many fresh surface water is vital. In a small-scale pattern of ditches in the old cultural landscape and as water storage in the meanders of the historic creeks. This strengthens the landscape heritage, and provides local agriculture with a future in the coming century.
City center: 100 Water Monuments
Project by: LIST
Reitdiep: ++ Water heritage
Project by: MORE Landscape, in collaboration with VE-R
3. Nature and production in a good mix
Driebond: Blue Rampart
By transforming an unattractive stony business park into a blue-green working landscape, water from the canals can be purified, sustainable energy is produced and city and nature become intertwined.
Waddenkust: Edible Coast
The mixing of nature and food production in broad zones outside and inside the dikes along the Wadden coast plays a vital role in the dynamic processes of sea level rise and salinization. The result is a varied menu for the whole of the Northern Netherlands. The inaccessible coastline is activated.
By transforming an unattractive stony business park into a blue-green working landscape, water from the canals can be purified, sustainable energy is produced and city and nature become intertwined.
Waddenkust: Edible Coast
The mixing of nature and food production in broad zones outside and inside the dikes along the Wadden coast plays a vital role in the dynamic processes of sea level rise and salinization. The result is a varied menu for the whole of the Northern Netherlands. The inaccessible coastline is activated.
Driebond: Blue Rampart
Project by: Tredje Natur
Waddenkust: Edible Coast
Project by: FLUX
4. Slow down the city
Suikeras: Reclaimed City Space
The construction of sustainable transport hubs ensures clean transport of food and people along the blue axis, as a connection between the city and the countryside. By banning the car from this connection, space will be created for greenery, for bicycle paths and for the storage of rainwater.
Hereweg: Wood Park
Covering the Hondsrug with as many trees as possible ensures coolness under the crowns in summer, creates a pleasant living environment and improves biodiversity all year round. The planting of avenues along the Hereweg connects the city center with the new wooded residential areas on the Hondsrug.
Zernike terrein: Testing Grounds
The Hanze University campus will be a testing ground for urban agriculture and the generation of sustainable energy, in order to test and develop knowledge.
The construction of sustainable transport hubs ensures clean transport of food and people along the blue axis, as a connection between the city and the countryside. By banning the car from this connection, space will be created for greenery, for bicycle paths and for the storage of rainwater.
Hereweg: Wood Park
Covering the Hondsrug with as many trees as possible ensures coolness under the crowns in summer, creates a pleasant living environment and improves biodiversity all year round. The planting of avenues along the Hereweg connects the city center with the new wooded residential areas on the Hondsrug.
Zernike terrein: Testing Grounds
The Hanze University campus will be a testing ground for urban agriculture and the generation of sustainable energy, in order to test and develop knowledge.
Suikeras: Reclaimed City Space
Project by: West 8
Hereweg: Wood Park
Project by: Agence TER
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