North Sea Skills Integration and New Technologies

Speaking a multi disciplinary language to integrate the worlds of spatial planning and water management. Encouraging the implementation of innovative technical and sustainable solutions which have already proved to be successful.

Almere Poort (Almere Gate), Almere, The Netherlands

Almere Poort is an approximately 2.000 ha new being built town in the newest part of the IJssellake polders at 5 metres below sea level. The seepage varies from 1 to 5 mm/day and is ranging in quality from a rather bad to a rather good quality. In areas with a lot of bad seepage the ground levels and the surface water levels are elevated to reduce the influence of seepage. In such areas the area of surface water is low (less than 2%) and the build on density is high. Rain water is infiltrated so the seepage water is reduced. Excess rain water is transported to areas with much more surface water (up to 20% planned). These areas are located on spots where there is less seepage with a surface water quality that is rather good. In this way the urban design was adapted to the appearance of the ground water quality: small canals and high building density with offices on locations where the ground water quality is rather bad and broader canals and ponds with individual housing on locations where the ground water is rather okay and the surface water quality needs to be rather good. Here the excess rain water of Almere Poort can be stored as well.

Almere Poort is a perfect example of integrated water management: both quality and quantity are thought over. The plan is linked to the specific circumstances of a deep polder. Clear and less clear water are separated. All the space is plural used (for example: a park is planned on top of an archaeological reference).

To be influential specific knowledge of the area on your own field of work is needed. But that alone is not enough. The alignment between municipality and water board went via the architect who from the beginning on was cooperative, water minded and creative. He operated as a translator: instead of communicating difficulties between water board and municipality, he drew and accepted solutions.