IFLA 2012 South-Africa

Urban growth, a threat or a challenge for new metropolitan landscapes?
Urbanization is an important and determining development in the 21st century. According to estimations of the UN, in forty years 70% of the world's population will live in urban areas. A trend we recognize, is the development of metropolitan areas: spatial entities including both urban and rural areas, with a strong interaction and mutual dependency between the two. There is an urgency to work on enhancing the quality of metropolitan landscapes, by finding a sustainable balance between competing spatial functions, both urban and rural.

Landscape development plan as a strategy for endangered landscapes
In The Netherlands, the government is seeking for a new, improved balance between rural and urban areas. There for she introduced the Landscape development plan. The strategy of this plan consists an analysis of the existing qualities and demands, a vision on new developments in the landscape and a strategy to implement several projects, that contributes tot the master plan. A planning and communication process has been set op by Brons + partners landscape architects to work out the Landscape development plan for the area of Duin Horst & Weide, a unique landscape in the southern wing of the Dutch metropolitan Delta.

Cultural and natural landscapes as part of the metropolitan landscape
The main issues in the study area are the weakening agricultural basis and the threat of urbanization. From the urban perspective there is an increasing demand for easy accessible, qualitative green areas, close to the city. Our strategy for Duin Horst & Weide considers the cultural and natural landscape together with the surrounding urban area as a metropolitan landscape. In this strategy, perspectives can be addressed on a higher level of scale, which open opportunities for new connections both social and physical between the two.

An integrated balance of functions within the spatial framework of the area
The vision is based upon keeping the rural area viable and accessible, while preserving and enhancing the authentic qualities of the landscape. The master plan provides an integral approach. The agricultural sector is still a driving force, with local markets, urban agriculture and new functions within recreation, nature and spatial quality. In this way, a robust and multifunctional landscape can be created. This will result in new investments, giving the area a sustainable future and a positive image.

Project number: 1203

Location: Capetown

Client: IFLA 2012

Product: Paper

Year: 2012