LANDSCAPE 1:1 A study ofdesign s for leisure inth e Dutch countryside Jq Promotoren: Prof.dr.Jaa p Lengkeek Hoogleraar Sociaal-ruimtelijke Analyse Wageningen Universiteit Prof.dr. UdoWeilache r Hoogleraar Landschapsarchitectuur en Ontwerpen Leibniz Universiteit Hannover, Duitsland Co-promotor: Dr. Henk J.d e Haan Universitair hoofddocent Leerstoelgroep Sociaal-ruimtelijke Analyse Wageningen Universiteit Promotiecommissie: Prof.dr.The o A.M. Beckers Universiteit van Tilburg Dr. Erik A. de Jong Wageningen Universiteit Prof.dr.Andr e N. van der Zande Wageningen Universiteit Prof, lbAsge r Olsen Koninklijke Universiteit voor Diergeneeskunde en Landbouw Kopenhagen, Denemarken LANDSCAPE 1:1 A study of designs for leisure inth e Dutch countryside Marlies Brinkhuijsen Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor op gezag van de rector magnificus van Wageningen Universiteit Prof.dr. M.J. Kropff in het openbaar te verdedigen op maandag 13oktober200 8 des namiddagst e vier uur ind eAula . LANDSCAPE 1:1, a study of designs for leisure inth e Dutch countryside. M. Brinkhuijsen, 2008. PhD thesis Wageningen University and Research; 267 pp. + annexes ISBN: 978-90-8504-972-2 Abstract M. Brinkhuijsen, 2008. LANDSCAPE 1:1, a study of designs for leisure in the Dutch countryside. PhD thesis Wageningen University and Research; 267 pp. + annexes. With English and Dutch summary. The study deals with landscape design approaches concerning leisure, recreation and tourism inth ecountryside . Landscape designsfro mfiv e periodswit hdifferen t planning and policycontext s between the 1920san d presenttim ewer estudied .Th edesigns represent a variety of Dutch landscapes: the coastal zone and the marine clay polders of the Zeeland Delta, the river plains of the Gelderse Poort, the peat meadow landscapes of the Venen and the sandy uplands ofth e Drentsche Aa Stream Valley. The analyses revealed how landscape designers have been dealing with leisure in the context of the Dutch design tradition concerning rural landscapes. Dominant leisure approaches were reconstructed and relatedt ocontemporar y theoretical insights andt oth e Dutch designtraditio n concerning rural landscapes.Th e reconstructed leisure approaches were reviewed to what extent they are still relevant and suitable in the contemporary, changing context, with new leisure demands and new landscape challenges. The study revealed a stable design tradition of a comprehensive landscape approach and persisting conceptualisations of leisure. Recent designs show different approaches. This suggests structural changes; it is likely that landscape design for leisure in the countryside is in transition. With regard to observed continuities and changes in leisure, leisure environments and landscape design practices, the reconstructed design tradition shows that great achievements have been made, but it also displays also some apparent shortcomings. These were discussed from an academic and from a practical point of view. Keywords: landscape architecture, landscape planning, design tradition, design theory, architectural history,leisure ,recreation ,Netherlands , rurallandscapes, legibility, landscape identity Acknowledgements: connecting worlds That's it then. Now, looking back on the years the opportunity was given to me to write my dissertation, I'm somewhat overcome with melancholy. It was area l treat to be able to work on only one project instead often at atime . It was apleasur e to be able to read books thoroughly rather than glancing through them briefly due to a lack of time and budget. It was a challenge to solve a huge brainteaser and to find a way to compellingly convey the story. Moreover, it was a great privilege to become a scholar with the help of my tutors and colleagues. I found myself in a new world where, in the end, I decided to stay. Still, it took quite some time to find my way in this new world and feel at ease there. The attitude, the way of dealing with a problem, the body of knowledge, and the perspective: they were all so different from what I was used to. I had to connect the world I knew with this new world. Being a practitioner and coming from the world of consultancy and contract research, I was used to focus on the applicability in practice. I learnt that autonomous research with theoretical results didn't necessarily have direct consequences for daily practices. Working simultaneously on many projects under high pressure of time, Iwa s used to think on my feet, make quick decisions and vigorously go on to the next phase. Academic research, however, meant questioning every given or supposition, and decelerating my mind turned out to be much more useful and productive for dealing with fundamental problems. As a designer I was used to looking ahead, to appreciate what was new and to look for solutions that were not used before. I learnt to understand the merits of standing on the shoulders of predecessors and thoroughly building on past achievements. I was used to design and planning concepts, which are open and multi-interpretable, yet scientific concepts were as precise and unambiguous as possible. I was used to natural sciences and so much less to social sciences and humanities. I was introduced to a different body of knowledge and a different approach. It almost felt like learning a new language. How many times didn't I call out that Ijus t wasn't a real scholar? Until Jaap Lengkeek was fed up and threatened to stop tutoring me since I was a scholar, working on my PhD at a university. There was this other world as well. Balancing home life and a career is never easy and writing a dissertation is hardly a nine-to-five job. How many hours didn't I read and write in the evening, at night, in the weekends and on holidays? Sometimes Iha d so many unfinished lines of thought on my mind that I lost sight of the daily routine of a household. When I reconstruct the origin of my thesis, several people come to mind. More than ten years ago, I started a project proposal on design for nature with Ernst and Peter (f), which turned out to be a preliminary version of this thesis' theme. It didn't work out then, much to Ernst's regret, who had become fascinated by 'pleasure landscapes'. A few years later the theme came up again in some essays I wrote with Maarten, Berdie and Norfried. With the NIROV werkgroep Landschap, the opportunity was given to me to elaborate on it with the Karavaan van Verbeelding. Frank and Harma, you shared my enthusiasm and even when it was cactus-teatime, we persisted and made a success of it. I am very grateful to the people who gave me the opportunity to start a PhD research from my position at Alterra. Jannemarie, Wim and Hein, thank you for enabling me to leave planning and policy behind and go back to my roots in landscape architecture, for encouraging me to deepen my knowledge and for making the necessary organisational and financial arrangements, even when it took longer than planned, over and over again. This study was also made possible thanks to financial support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, the Netherlands Architecture Fund (the Belvedere Projects Grants Programme) and the EFL Foundation. I had a great time and many cups of coffee with my colleagues of SRA, with whom I explored the socio-spatial issues of Paris: Carla, Martijn, Dmitri, Maarten, Rene, Jan, Karin, Lianne, Mirjam, Irena, Agnes, Guido, Jelle, Leo, Chris and Rene. Dorien, Pat and Annoesjka, you organised some special debates for me with landscape designers, civil servants and clients about leisure and landscape design. Together with Horia, Anneke, Mimi and Toni, we went for walks in leisure landscapes, but above all, we had good conversations about life in general. My dear friend Madeleine, a trip to Zeeland will be the completion of our trips to the case study areas, but I hope others are still to come. We will never get tired of our conversations about life, work and the world around us. Besides, we haven't tried the canoe yet. My coach Jan, you taught me to rely on simple logic and to keep pulling the strings in my research. Juliette, thank you for offering me ahideawa y with squirrel attraction. My new colleagues of Landscape Architecture: thank you for replacing me so that I could finish my thesis. The advisory group — Niek, Rudi, Rien, Ina and Sandra — your contribution may seem small, but you made me keep the relation with authorities and clients in the daily practice in mind. Jean, Marloes, Monique and Hetty, you were indispensable for making my thesis into a proper book. Dear Jaap and Henk, I very much enjoyed our meetings and discussions, which grew ever more cheerful as the final stage drew near. Jaap's strategic approach and Henk's meticulous reading complemented each other. Every time the both of you wondered about that strange tribe called designers, I was forced to question my own truths. I always felt your criticisms as constructive attempts, which led me in the right direction. It was the right choice to study landscape architecture from the perspective of another discipline. Udo, where my other tutors questioned every truth in landscape architecture, you brought it back to reasonable proportions. At the same time, you made me aware of the exceptional position of Dutch landscape architecture, which I considered to be normal. I should have made more trips to Hannover, for we have yet to finish our discussion why the Dutch are so fond of forests. Above all, I could never have done this study without the landscape designers. Without their cooperation and their contributions, the results would never have been the same. Their memories proved to be a valuable archive.