1. 2009
EXPERTREPORT
Public Ideas Competition
World Sustainability Centre Afsluitdijk

2. EXPERTREPORT Public Ideas Competition
World Sustainability Centre Afsluitdijk
November 2nd 2009 Background Disclaimer
The Public Ideas Competition World Sustainability This expert report is independent from the work
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Authors: Centre Afsluitdijk resulted in 80 design proposals, done by the International Jury of the competition.
Han Brezet which contained a wealth of information, inspiring All entries are taken into consideration because
Marcel Crul ideas and creative solutions. In this expert report each of them may have unique positive aspects
Mark Andrik we will be elaborating on relevant aspects regar- without being nominated or among the prize
ding sustainability emerging from this entries. winners. No communication has taken place with
TU Delft, Faculty Industrial Design Engineering, INTRODUCTION We aim to contribute to the development of a pro- the Jury on their selection or opinions. Not all
Design for Sustainability Programme gramme of requirements for the World Sustaina- entries were assessed by each expert, therefore
bility Centre on the Afsluitdijk. the results of this report are indicative.
Editor: The expert opinions summarized in this report This report does not intend to cover all aspects:
Tineke van der Schoor are meant as recommendations for the “Stich- Legal requirements for instance such as the laws
Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen ting Duurzaamheidscentrum Afsluitdijk” and it’s on heritage preservation and nature conservation
future designers and builders, in order to foster are not taken into account.
the sustainability profile of the Sustainability
Centre, once the decision making process is Experts and their disciplines:
completed. The insights can underpin the criteria Han Brezet // Sustainable design
the building and the location has to comply with, Klaas Hoekstra // Sustainable energy
and also supply additional aspects to be taken Henk Seinen // Sustainable building
into account. Han Vrijling // Hydraulic engineering, climate
change and coastal defense
Assignment Henk Folmer // Nature and landscape
The experts were asked to assess a selection of Pier Vellinga // Climate change and sustainability
entries, based on their expertise. Three experts Cees Buisman // Water technology
assessed all entries. In this way all entries were Tineke van der Schoor // Integral Sustainable
assessed on several important aspects of sustai- development
nability. Furthermore the experts were asked to Nynke-Rixt Jukema // Integration into existing
give suggestions for improvement. landscape and environmental values
Next, a workshop was held in which the experts Hans van Meerendonk & Anne de Vries // Fryslân
exchanged and discussed their ideas. This report Marketing perspective
summarizes the findings of this creative process.
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3. EXPERTREPORT Public Ideas Competition
World Sustainability Centre Afsluitdijk
The following persons participated as observers A. Fit into surrounding landscape and close these typologies, such as a dike, viaduct or
in the workshop: environment sluice. Furthermore a surrounding typology can
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The buildings and dike of the Afsluitdijk show a be used in the design. (Figure 1 & 2)
Sonja Busch // Province of Fryslân strong coherence, being built in the same period
in-between conditions LXXVII
Eric Regeling // Rijkswaterstaat and style. It is unique for The Netherlands and Located alongside the Afsluitdijk, a small piece of headland is set to be the location for the new World
poster 1
Sustainability Centre Afsluitdijk (WSCA). This former construction site and its harbor are situated on the
Henk Kroes // Chairman of the Sustainability leading in the world.
Waddenzee-side of Breezanddijk, near to Friesland, and were part of the work island during the con-
struction of the dike. Nowadays, Breezanddijk is a popular stopover for tourists that come to see the
dike. On the other side of the dike, at the IJsselmeer-side of Breezanddijk, there’s a petrol station, a large
parking lot, a trailer park and another small harbor that is currently used by the Dutch military. A turning
point connects the programme on both sides of the dike and the road that goes over it.
Centre Foundation Therefore, the WSC should be based on an The conditions at the construction site are very much different from what one experiences on the dike
ELEMENTS
itself; even harder winds, strong tidal streams and the ever-present raging of the sea. Also, as it is one of
the few places on the Afsluitdijk where one can actually get off the dike to have a full overview of the
inspiring and realistic vision, with respect for the
Waddenzee, it is here that you can feel the absence of the predominant, monotonous view the Afsluit-
dijk offers as you travel along it. It is a place even more isolated than the dike itself.
Along with these conditions, it is also its specific shape, texture and structure that emphasizes what the
site is used for nowadays, what its actual meaning has become; a place where ships can harbor during a
The following aspects are presented in this openness, scale, measure, profile and buildings
storm, an off coast shelter against the rough elements of this extraordinary landscape. This connotation
seamlessly fits the notion of what we think the WSCA at this specific location -or even more generally,
any building at any given location- also should be in the first place; not only just fit to endure the local
OF A
conditions, but also to continuously derive its very meaning, its purpose and physique from these condi-
tions. A place in-between conditions.
report: of the Afsluitdijk, either by emphasizing the Situation
The WSCA’s programme is accommodated by a lightweight,
self-supporting structure; a configuration of cone-shaped
harmony with it, or expressing a well-balanced
elements that act as conciliator between inside and out-
side conditions and the programme underneath. Each
of these elements has its own specific role in doing so.
On the upper side, the cones have been excised according
PROGRAMME
to their specific function and orientation, either or both
to catch sunlight, warmth, wind and rain. On the lower side
they have been excised either or both to direct
sunlight, accumulate warmth, muffle sounds and to give
- Landscape and environmental values contrast. Also, the materials used as well as the
shape to the enclosed space.
The landscape has also been used in both directions: to mo-
derate and accumulate inside and outside conditions and
to articulate the different levels in the programme.
The landscape, its programme and environmental dyna-
mics are involved in a synergetic relation.
- Application of sustainable energy energy and water use should be such that they
Climatological diagrams
- Application of sustainable water technology OF deliver a positive contribution to the landscape,
- Integral sustainable development at the same time being a showcase for sustaina-
- Hydraulic engineering, climate change and REQUIREMENTS bility.
coastal defence
- Mobility and accessibility The straight line of the Afsluitdijk is a very impor- Aerial View from IJsselmeer-side Approaching the World Sustainability Centre Waddenzee-facade
- Potential for Promotion tant characteristic. Many of the proposals consist
- Services and customer interaction of complex solutions across or askew the dyke,
affecting this prominent characteristic.
Remark: The proposals in the competition are
mostly very general, thus it is very difficult to es- It should be mentioned however that this is also
timate the specifics regarding energy, technical, depending on the final plan for the Afsluitdijk as
hydraulics and other feasibility aspects. a whole. Several of the consortium proposals Figure 1 (the Dutch Cockle bed is a typical surrounding
for the dike do alter this linear aspect to a large typology)
extent. In that case buildings that breach this
linearity can be a good fit.
Another aspect to be taken into account is the
typologies of the family of buildings and construc-
tions along the Afsluitdijk - Some proposals stay
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