The New Hondsbossche Dunes | West 8

Firm： West 8

Type： Landscape + Planning › Waterway/Wetland

STATUS： Built

YEAR： 2016

In 2012, West 8 was invited to join the consortium of Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors b.v. and Boskalis for the North Holland Water Board to support their team, which included Svasek Hydraullics (hydrology and dredging), Witteveen + Bos (engineer) and Altenburg & Wymenga ecologisch onderzoek (ecology). West 8 was responsible for the environmental design of the reinforcement of the existing Dyke at Hondsbossche Pettemer Seawall, the weak link in the coastal line of defense.

In order to strengthen the Dutch coastline and to mark the advent of a new chapter in the history of the country and the Dutch landscape, the principle of 'building with nature' was fully exploited. The solution is sandy and dynamic instead of following the previous fixed or hardscape approach. The New Hondsbossche Dunes create opportunities to strengthen the region and simultaneously enhance and embrace the qualities of the natural environment and bolster recreational activities. The tranquility of nature and the clear beach access are defining features of this place.

The design creates a place with varied topography, overgrown with native vegetation, complete with young drifting dunes, dune valleys and a beach that varies in width. This robust new landscape is designed in a manner consistent with the existing dunes and it features extra high dunes and extended peninsulas along the beaches near Petten and Camperduin. By connecting the Schoorl dunes and Pettemer, one of the longest uninterrupted dunescapes in the Netherlands was created.

The solution had to meet both goals of safety and environmental quality. The proposal entails an optimized technical solution in which the use of sand is very efficient and manageable and dune erosion is minimized. The view-lines, historical references and furnishing elements are implemented with modesty and care. West 8's design successfully unites a technical solution with a romantic narrative.