Memory of the Designed Landscape
The Room for the River programme
The Room for the River programme (2006-2019) was a large and complex national project that aimed to improve flood protection in the Netherlands by giving rivers more space.
In addition to safety, the focus was also on spatial quality, which made the project unique in the Dutch context. The programme has contributed to a better use of public space and a greater awareness of the role of water in the landscape.
Looking to the future, water adaptation remains an urgent challenge due to climate change and rising sea levels. The knowledge and lessons learned from the Room for the River programme are therefore valuable for future projects and policies.
Although the archiving of this programme has been systematic, not all material has been fully mapped. The programme involved a wide range of parties, including government organisations, landscape architects and contractors. The archives, consisting of both analogue and digital documents such as drawings, reports and correspondence, are essential for recording the technical and social impact of the project. However, the size and distribution of the material poses a challenge to long-term archiving.