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Floriade 2012 Daniel Jauslin of the Landscape Architecture School at TU Delft, Reviews the Once-A-Decade Extravaganza

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Floriade 2012 Daniel Jauslin of the Landscape Architecture School at TU Delft, Reviews the Once-A-Decade Extravaganza ProFessional Zone Event review FLORIADE 2012 Daniel Jauslin of the Landscape Architecture school at TU Delft, reviews the once-a-decade extravaganza WHAT: Horticultural World Expo Floriade WHEN: 5 April to 7 October 2012 WHERE: Venlo, The Netherlands THIS SUMMER, the sixth edition of the Horticultural World Expo Floriade takes place in Venlo, The Netherlands. Unlike other national or regional garden exhibitions around the world, many crafted after the Chelsea Flower Show, Floriade has global aspirations – rather peculiar given that Floriade has never left the Netherlands since its first appearance in 1960 in Rotterdam. However, the Office of World Exhibitions in Paris will not attribute the name World Fair to any event that is held more than once in ten years in one country. So the CLOCKWISE based on a specific regional Floriade happens roughly every decade FROM ABOVE BIG IN GERMANY development concept. The Horticultural xxxxxx xxxxxxx in The Netherlands but nowhere else. xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx; Of the expected two million visitors to Expo is only the beginning of a long-term Floriade 2012 is at once regional, national architect Jo this year's Floriade, 40% are expected to business real estate development plan and international – a balance that is Coenen's Innova come from Germany and 40% from the called Venlo Green Park. An obvious sign Tower is the struck not through a structured plan, but undoubted focal Netherlands; 20 million Germans live of this development plan is the rather through a thematic zoning akin to point at the Floriade; within 100km of Venlo (mostly in the Innovatoren or Innova Tower, a a Disney-style amusement park. xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx Ruhrgebiet), while the entire population spectacular gate-tower hybrid designed Venlo is the capital of the hilly xxxxxxx xxxxxx of the Netherlands – 16 million people – by architect Jo Coenen, who hails from southern province of Limburg and their is spread throughout less densely Heerlen, the third largest city in Limburg, successful bid to the Dutch Horticultural populated areas. and whose urban planning can be seen Society means they are the first region Venlo also acts as a main distribution in The Hague, Amsterdam and outside of the Randstad to succeed in point to the east and for the mostly Maastricht. The project is simultaneously hosting the Floriade. Originally inspired street-based export of horticultural an office tower and congress centre, by the 1958 Brussels Expo, the Floriade products to Germany, including rising above the canopies of forest has been held in several locations over cultivated plants and cut flowers, as well running along the motorway. Venlo the decades: the bombed and as fruits and vegetables. A visit to the Green Park is laid out both as a large resurrected Rotterdam in 1960; twice in Floriade makes you appreciate how big a event space and with provisions for an Amsterdam; and later, in the newer business horticulture is; and how smart office center and industrial park, where settlements of Zoetemeer (near Delft) the region has been smart to profit from the brains of smart and sustainable new and Haarlemmermeer (near Amsterdam its development. The same week that businesses can eventually develop. Schiphol Airport and the renowned Floriade 2012 began, the new A74 Keukenhof Bulb Flower Show). motorway – planned for 30 years – finally SUSTAINABLE DESIGN opened, connecting Venlo to Germany Many of the buildings are also ‘green’ in and to public spaces along the banks of design, especially the sophisticated “The Floriade makes you appreciate the River Maas that form the core of glass house Villa Flora by architect Jon new developments in the city. Kristinsson, who could finally realise www.floriadeimages.com how big horticulture is and how smart Even the Floriade’s 66-hectare site is concepts here he has been developing Photos the region has been to profit from it” not disposable or hastily planned, but since the 1970s, when only a few in the 42 GARDEN DESIGN JOURNAL WWW.sgd.org.UK ProFessional Zone LEFT An aerial view of the park shows, from left along the water's edge, the Beachclub restaurant, Rabo Earthwalk, Vriendenbos and World Show Stage. BELOW xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx building industry could be convinced nearby fields and ponds. Other designed “A highlight is the wildly popular about the limits of growth. The spaces have been mostly carved out of Netherlands had relatively few examples the woods that gently encircle the space Ski Cabin Lift, which gives a great of sustainable buildings, with the and provide varied depth and access to overview of the park and gardens” exception of particular techniques such the horizon. as capillary heat exchangers and to give a tropical feeling. This 1,700 m2 ‘breathing windows’ developed by VIEW FROM ABOVE plant kingdom looked like the Kristinsson, who has been an energy- In such exhibition park enterprises, the horticultural challenge of one man’s saving pioneer for many years. main task is to conserve a garden lifetime. Carefully selected plants from However, although some single atmosphere in spite of all the horrific all over the world, including Mexico and buildings show good craftsmanship and creations of competing sponsors and Thailand, were flown in and the excellent understanding of life cycle assessment, advertising agencies. With this in mind, planting was the result of Henkens’ it is hard to ignore the thoughtlessly one of the two main highlights of the considerable experience working with welded steel half-globes which – Expo are the wildly popular Ski Cabin this type of indoor arrangement. although placed on the best spots by the Lift, which gives a great overview of the However intelligent the regional two main sponsors – are not particularly park and the individual gardens. The business case of the Venlo Green Park, it innovative in terms of architecture, other is the almost untouched forest was the simpler moments of the sustainability or exhibition design. sequences between the green fields, exhibition, such as the classic hothouse, The master plan by John Boon with where the exhibitors are grouped in a set that pleased me most. Perhaps it is not the firms Arcadis and Copijn is a very of five thematic spaces. only smart politicians, economic successful park design. It is a good solid Not many gardens stand out as representatives and designers in suits plan, functional in entertaining the horticultural spectacles. However, my who do well to the economy of people crowds and providing enough spatial personal favourite pavilion was the [sub - unsure of meaning; rephrase?] and variety and axiality to give an impression tropical greenhouse – the passionate potentially turn such an exhibition into a of diversity without losing an overall work of biologist and landscape architect success. In the end, it may be the passion sense of orientation and organisation. Jean Henkens. Henkens is the of gardeners like Henkens that show the The master plan is based on elements experienced garden designer of a large wonders of the economy of nature, which found in an old farm, of which the barn is holiday resort chain that usually fills make such exhibitions worth visiting. conceived as a pavilion surrounded by lobbies and swimming pools with plants www.floriade.com WWW.sgd.org.UK GARDEN DESIGN JOURNAL 43.
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