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Station of Solastalgia

Part 1 Project 2011
Sam Brown
University of Lincoln Lincoln | UK
The project is a response to an initial first hand study and exploration of an 18th century Dutch hydrological and fortified defensive landscape. By inducing an 85km line of water into the low-lying polder landscape through a network of dikes and sluices, the Dutch were able to isolate major cites from the rest of invading Europe. By studying this landscape of defense, small towns were discovered that are at constant risk of flooding due to their low-lying topography.

A new defensive line would predominantly become a warning system, highlighting and studying dangerous weather patterns, climatic conditions and reacting to them. A climate research station to the south west of Culemborg, the most recent town evacuated in 1995 due to the threat of major flooding, will become the main weapon in flood prediction and study. By monitoring water, land, air and natural behavior within the landscape as well as providing a buoyant repository of precious items for the town itself, the station will become a step to cure the effects of solastalgia, the theory of home sickness within ones own home due to the uncontrollable consequences of climate change. Like arks, a series of pontoon archipelago test bed’s will become autonomous, studied and monitored entities within the landscape, offering not only the advantage of an early warning to the threat of flooding but shelter and a means of life and self sufficiency to citizens caught up within the possible future flooding. Natural behavior upon the archipelagos such as Dutch tulips closing and bee’s returning to their hives indicates the threat of on an oncoming storm.

Sam Brown

Tutor(s)


2011
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