20th anniversary of Strootman Landschapsarchitecten. We celebrated it with principals, cooperation partners, (former) colleagues and many others on 30 June in Pavilion Puur, a fortress on the historical defence line of Amsterdam. Catching up, playing kubb, beach ball, dancing, a vegan walking dinner: it was all there. And of course a speech.
Location
Paviljoen Puur, Diemen
Partners
I.s.m. Jeannette van Zeijl (bloemen) en Pieter Kers (fotografie)
Implementation
30 juni 2022
After a career with Grontmij and Bureau B+B, Berno launched our bureau on 1 April 2002. ‘A dazzling start with projects for the Langstraat and the villages centred around a church near Veghel. In 2003-4 came the landscape vision for the Drentsche Aa, which really put us as a bureau on the map. After that we worked on large-scale regional developments such as Wieringerrandmeer, Meerstad Groningen, Westflank Haarlemmermeer and Twente Airport. During the crisis of 2010-2012 we were reduced from twelve to four members of staff. In 2011 we moved from the KNSM island to our present premises in the Funenpark. During the 10th anniversary in 2012 we presented our book Strootman – strategies for the sublime.
With projects such as a landscape design for the Markerwadden (which came second in the competition) and Ooijen-Wansum (also second) we kept afloat. From 2013 the prospects grew rosier and we have been growing. A lot of work on complex hydrological projects from the Delta Programme. From 2016 to 2020 Berno was Government Consultant for the landscape in addition to his regular work with the bureau. That shifted the focus of the bureau to the complex challenges facing us today.
We are currently carrying out interesting design research such as Relaxed NL and Climate Adaptive Wadden Coast. In addition there are also complex integral plans for the A7 zone in Groningen /Hoogezand and the Eastern Flank of the Tilburg-Breda urban region. Green plans for Groningen and later Assen. Complex projects aimed at implementation such as the large-scale rededication location Stationstuinen Barendrecht, Hembrug Zaandam, and Getting Up Steam in Goor. Not to forget ambitious river projects and other complex climate adaptation projects. National Parks new style, both in Netherlands and in Flanders. Urbanisation strategies. And delightful old-style implementation projects such as the Overpark of Twickel, Reuversweerd on the IJssel estate, and Park Sonsbeek in Arnhem.
At the moment we are thinking about a new bureau structure with more partners and possibly a different location, because the growth is continuing and the challenges facing the Netherlands are daunting. We are grateful to ourprincipals who all this time have given us the confidence to work on a more beautiful future for the Netherlands and sometimes further afield. Here’s to the next twenty years.