Vlaardingen's harbor area was once a bustling center for trade and fishing. With the upcoming developments in the River Zone, the now desolate space will regain this quality. The project has two main goals: flood protection in the outer dike areas of the Koningin Wilhelminahaven and Buitenhaven and a qualitative improvement of the public space. To achieve these goals, the sketch design was worked up into a design plan and the image quality plan was created. The design focuses on a more people-oriented environment by reducing car dominance and implementing a green layer to increase climate resilience.
Maintaining the authentic, raw harbor atmosphere is one of the most important principles. Reuse of the paving materials found, rearranged as a patchwork refers to the rawness of the industrial quays. Moreover, the flood barrier is made of recycled concrete mixed with broken bricks from the pavement. Attached to this "maritime magnetic wall" is the street furniture such as lighting, lifebuoys and benches. The quays provide space for green spaces, terraces and other programs.
Another ambition of the project is to promote more interaction with the water in the harbor basins. To achieve this, floating platforms with stairs have been placed along the quay walls, inviting people to come near the water. The main platform, located next to the central square in the Koningin Wilhelminahaven, is a serene place to sunbathe or paddle. Around the square are several cultural institutions such as event venues and a concert hall, making the platform very suitable for open-air events and creating a lively atmosphere for Vlaardingers.
With the flood barrier and greening, three types of places are created for Vlaardingers:
• Small: the flood barrier as a place to sit, work and relax in;
• Medium: the places where the flood barrier is interrupted, the coupures, are places with trees and special elements in the flood barrier such as a viewing platform or water buffer;
• Large: special places in the outdoor space such as ‘t Hooft and the Grote Visserijplein, which are large spaces with a recognizable character and identity.
The flood barrier is slim yet sturdy. Due to its modest thickness of 50 cm, the basic wall makes efficient use of material and claims little space. The wall is modular with segments about 8 meters long and about 1.2 meters high above ground. The thickness of the wall is increased locally for special functions such as sitting, lying down and viewing areas but also for storing rainwater and storing elements to locally raise the flood barrier. At the location of the coupures, the wall is raised to 1.4 meters, the closing doors are almost invisibly incorporated into the flood barrier.
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This illustrative plan map shows the structuring elements of the outdoor space.
- The flood barrier as a continuous element on the quays
- The special places at the headlands and at the Pelmolen
- Strong greening of the quays, approx. 40% of the outdoor space is covered by tree crowns
- Clustering of greenery around the coupures
- The connection of the two harbors at the Grote Visserijplein
- The movable bridge connecting the West- and Oosthavenkade
