West Flank Haarlemmermeer

The Haarlemmermeerpolder is situated 5 metres below sea level and is strategically located in the northern wing of the Randstad. On the eastern side the Haarlemmermeer is dominated by the A4 motorway, greenhouse industry and businesses; on the western side high ambitions have been formulated for new programme including dwellings, water storage, infrastructure and nature-forest development.

The design assignment is highly complex, not only because of the large-scale and diverse new programme, but also because the area is intersected by much existing infrastructure. Moreover, the high degree of complexity of the water system entails a major risk of brackish seepage.

The programme comprises 10,000 dwellings, 3,000,000 m3 of water storage, 900 hectares of nature and recreational areas, high-quality public transport, and an upgrading of the regional traffic infrastructure.

Three new landscapes are proposed for the West Flank: a wooded area of 200 hectares in the North; a landscape abounding in water with a 230-hectare lake as a central component of the new water system; and an open panoramic area at the southernmost tip, where local initiatives for new forms of agritourism are already springing up. This landscape framework provides sufficient flexibility for a rich variety of residential environments whose density can vary from 5 to 40 dwellings per hectare.

An important feature of the plan is the development of a sustainable water system that reacts to climate change. This involves the introduction of natural fluctuation, a novelty in a deep polder like the Haarlemmermeer. To this end the structure of ditches and mill-races will be doubled and lakes will be created on the edge of the polder to store large quantities of clean fresh water for dry periods. The result is a water landscape in which housing, water storage, water recreation and nature development proceed hand in hand.