Netherlands, a Sustainable Country.

Netherlands, Holland, or Kingdom of the Netherlands or you can call it either has stupefied me with with its concept of  simplicity in maintaining sustainability at all sorts of aspects. During my stay in the Netherlands it made me aware of things that I have never thought before, I admire this country so much for its systematically simple approach in city planning, urban design, landscape and environment. Thats why from my point of view it is one of the best country to gain lots of experience and to enhance studies.

It was a fine Saturday afternoon as I was strolling about the city center of Deventer, a city in the southern part of The Netherlands where i enroll my study as a Final Year Urban Design student. I noticed a great mess on the paved streets of the old center (or as we call it here "Centrum"). I was amazed on how complicated the plumbing systems  turned out to be beneath the neatly paved old streets, I couldn't even notice a single pipe running in the streets until i saw this and recalled the lessons i took during the water management class (which i weren't obliged to actually take, hhe) Netherlands has the most integrated plumbing systems and waterworks. Since geographically, Netherlands had been coping problems with keeping  balance between its lands and waters The Netherlands  were able to improve gradually over so many applied researches to struggle with its water problems for so many years, this improvement on water works enabled to make The Netherlands famous for its waterfront design such as the famous palm Island in Dubai which empowered the some of the best professionals in architecture, urban design, water engineer and a lot others from The Netherlands. 

Last easter I had a phone call from my host Family. They wanted to know whether i was up for a spare time to walk a mile somewhere in a conservation park in Apeldoorn called Sallandse Heuvelrug, a place just 45 minutes away from Deventer by car. and just in time for a break i had some time to kill that day anyway, well even though my final project was screaming in despair for me to get my hands on. While we were driving through the man made forest as Sylvia explained thoroughly about how the conservation forest eventually existed, its a long story i tell you, hhe. But I was just surprised on how they explained the vast field of secondary forest of oak, pine, and typical european circumboreal landscape.

Its  as if the small piece of land was a treasure, its nothing close or comparable as forests we have in  Kalimantan, Sumatra, Sulawesi, or even Java with its different varieties of vegetation but what made me fascinated was how they gave such appreciation in for the remnants of the forest and heather field. Maybe because i grew up in a place where i could find greens in every corner i didn't really get the point of just sitting there to catch the scenery, but then as they explained to me on how these kind of place was able to keep balance between nature and the urban sprawl. She explained on how the mutual relationship between the forest and the local shepards were going and how they also contributed to the fertility of the soil, because as we know most dutch lands were sand dunes and how the forest were able to keep the dutch troops alive by hiding behind the slender pine trees fighting with the Germans.

This is a picture from of the oldest preserved farm house in Drenthe which i took last week in an open air museum in Arnhem, made out of clay and soil. i guess these were the early form of sustainable housing built by the Dutch. its amazing how these form of traditional houses once existed in a country where now in the 21st century the architecture in the Netherlands is becoming a global trend.

Collecting wind power for energy, yes we all know that, but did you know that windmills were first invented in somewhere in the Middle east? Windmills as traditional power generator nowadays are still preserved in the Netherlands as a part of the architectural heritage. Some are still erected for uses of public museums, some still reserved as wheat grinding machine or wood sawing tools. There are different kinds of windmills in the Netherlands according to its locations and functions. This picture was taken in the Zandaam district of Netherland. The well preserved landscape and beautiful countryside skyline were amazing!

Tulips, one of the greatest discovery for the Netherlands. The first Tulip brought to The Netherlands originated from Turkey causing Tulipomania an economic turmoil, an eventual crash of the inflated tulip market which was eventually settled. Nowadays Tulips are used as assets to attract tourism as for example the Keukenhof garden which displays different varieties of tulips which is open once in a season (spring) and sold in supermarkets to decorate interior homes.

Old city centre in most countries in Europe are revitalized for economic growth and urbanism. The old city centre usually are rejuvenated and revitalised as modern town centres where people shop, interact and meet. this Urban design strategy is very effective due to the benefit it brings for the town. Usually old town centres in Europe are planned well to cater the need of settlements living in the area. Old town centres or known in the Netherlands as "Centrum" are a major tourism attraction due to its economic benefit and also historical values.