The Netherlands
instinct. The battle with water is a continuous one
because of the need to maintain the water defence
systems and because of ever changing circum-
stances. In this densely populated country, the
building of houses and industrial projects continues
to encroach upon the rivers, making it difficult for
the water to find its way to the sea. This went on
until the middle of the 1990s. At present, the sea
level is rising more than ever before, while the
flows of water in the rivers are also generally higher,
with higher peak flows. This makes protection with
higher and more solid dikes necessary. The IJssel
quay in Doesburg is an example of how the Dutch
deal with this traditional brief in a modern way.
At the end of the nineteenth century, the industrial
revolution triggered the growth of many Dutch towns.
During the Second World War a lot of houses were
destroyed, especially in the bigger cities, so in the
post-war period, a project of large-scale development
was introduced to fill residential needs. This project
has also, perhaps, become second nature to the
Dutch. Like the perpetual defences against water, this
building project is an ongoing one as well. The reason
is that the average area required by a household has
grown substantially, while the number of people per
household has decreased dramatically.
Since the 1960s, the government has made general
plans for spatial development. Activities and func-
tions such as agriculture, ecology, recreation and
housing have been planned, with the aim of realis-
ing a coherent spatial environment at a national
level. In 1994, a national decision was made to
create large new housing districts (4,000–8,000
dwellings) directly related to existing urban areas.
Integral to this proposal was the task of creating
valuable new public spaces. One of the results of
this policy can be seen at Albrandswaard, which
forms the second case study.
