Commisioned by Atelier Fryslan.
In collaboration with Feddes-Olthof landscape architects.

The commision is to combine plans to upgrade a road with a fresh look at the way this 50 year old road is fitted into the landscape. This demands careful weighing of the changes that such an adaptation will have in store. To think about is road is to think about how we live, where we work, who we are or want to be, paying attention to the different speeds in a landscape. This cultural philosophical approach is a worthy addition to knowledge of the landscapes and traffic logistics.

Commisioned by Enschede municipality.
In collaboration with Piet Ziel, landscape architect at Royal HasKoning.

The city of Enschede plans a new lay out, but will jump this time across some fields that are since immemorial times. The fields will slowly change into a parklike area, of a local agricultural atmosphere. In these plans it fits to give a thought on how to include the archeological remains of a early 18th century farm excavated in the area that will get new houses.
The design focuses on a role for the remains as a central meeting place for the new a –agriculture related- activities in the park, a place where old and new neighbors can meet.

Commisioned by DLG-oost for Herinrichting Rijssen en Enter.
Imaginative/imagination of the Regge – Meeting/Encounters.

The Waterboard Regge and Dinkel collaborates with the DLG in the land-reclamation projects Enter and Rijssen on climate adaptation of the Regge. In fact this is a restoration project of this river that was canalized between 1900 and 1970. Recognizing this is a cultural change art is part of the project, the Elsenerbeek was a pilot project for Verbeelding van de Regge.
In Meeting/Encounters there are many proposals for adjusting the river in a way that nature and culture are open to each other. Partly by course and profile, partly by bridges, paths, and sopecial designs for historical, cultural or natural focal points.

Waterschap Regge en Dinkel works on the watersystem in the Dutch area Twente. De themes safety, water experience, and dynamics play an important role in their water policy.

With a length of about five kilometers, De Wendel will transport the water from the Almelo and Wierden area. De Wendel has the shape of a leaf closed in by two motorways, so the water is close to the drivers. Retaining and slowing down the water is a new phenomenon in our cultural history. The water will first be collected in the waterholes, before it is released. When the leaf is flooded, the sheep have to run to the top of a mound.

Commisioned by Henk Hengeveld
In collaboration with Waterschap Groot Salland and Noel van Doorn, landscape architect.

In the close vicinity of Deventer there is the village of Diepenveen. A small watercourse, the Zandwetering, is vital for watermanagement of the area. Adaptation to new ecological en climatological insights create the opportunity to re-design the stream including recreational possibilities. Two retention areas are planned, one in Deventer, one in Diepenveen. The design of this area is based on the maintenance cycle of the Waterboard and focuses on giving people the opportunity to meet with the Zandwetering. In the tiny labyrinth and via the well at its heart they can experience how levels of surface water and groundwater seem to fluctuate independant of each other.

commissioned by the Province of Noord-Holland
icw Henk Volkers

A provincial motorway will be relocated to pass by the town of Uithoorn in stead of splitting the centre with a road dangerous to cross. The new road will run through an open polder, important habitat for meadow birds. As a way of compensation for the loss of habitat, new nature has to be developed in the left over space between the new road and the existing Hollandse Dijk. Extra program is to provide space for water retention with the demand that it should contribute to the improvement of water quality.
The concept of the design is based in the meeting of existing powers/interests around the area and the intrinsic qualities of it. The parcellation of the land is typical and of cultural historical importance. The origin of this subdivision is in the occupational techniques to settle in peat areas. The natural condition of this landscape is wet, mossy, swampy. In the design compensation itself is addressed (shame versus accessibility in hide - living bridge, as well as which new cultural concept of nature will follow up the present meadows with their proven value for biodiversity: defining nature is repositioning of culture.

Follow up to De Elsenerbeek, commissioned by the DLG regio Oost
The new watercourse has to cross a Medieval borderline between two Markes. There is chosen for a clear solution, showing the cultural historical value of this border, and the important (cultural) decision for the development of new nature. The border is formed by a low dike with trees and shrubs growing on top of it. Part of it will be ‘cut out’, and ‘rotated’. The cuts will carry words LAND-VER-WEER-BINDING, words that in Dutch combine two by two (depending on where you are in the landscape) into new words with a different meaning.

Follow up to De Elsenerbeek, commissioned by the DLG regio Oost

The immediate reason for creating the Elsenerbeek is the up swell of seepage coming from sandy lateral moraines. The special qualities of this kind of water bring forward a one of a kind habitat, but for a long time now the water is mixed with agricultural run off water and simply transported directly to the Regge by straight canals, not getting a chance to let special plants grow or amphibians live. In the new nature development the special water will find space and time to re-create the landscape. Three tables + seats will mark crucial locations along the new watercourse. Tables and seats made of a nearby mined, locally traditionally used natural sandstone. Water will well up in the tables at which people can seat themselves on the blocks carved with names of the areas that contribute water to the Elsenerbeek.

Follow up to De Elsenerbeek, commissioned by the DLG regio Oost
Icw De Grontmij (civil engineers)

Where Rijssen borders to the Elsenerbeek a ‘country’road coming from town crosses the creek. At this site a portrait can be made of the landscape of lateral moraines, seepage up swell and rubble fan, welcoming nature and culture

“Desert Passage” is a project featuring the work of three outstanding artists focusing on the issues of land, water, and culture specific to the arid land of the high desert of New Mexico. These artists, Gerco de Ruijter (the Netherlands), Jeroen van Westen (the Netherlands) and Anne Ausloos (Belgium) all have exhibited extensively in Europe and beyond.

This exhibition has developed after years of work, many trips to New Mexico and an artist-published book also entitled “Desert Passage” that documents the work of each artist and their guide Ton Haak. The goal was to investigate the enormous difference as well as the surprising similarities between the Dutch (wet) lowlands and the New Mexico (dry) high desert. The contrasts between the Dutch polder system and the Hispanic acequia system became subject for each of these artists. The Dutch practically drown in water and have to create structures to manage and release its abundance, while the New Mexicans are plagued by drought and have created efficient irrigation systems to lead the little water there is to the places where it can be best used. Both the Dutch and New Mexicans have created democratic organizations for their water management. In both places, nature itself plays a dominant role and often disturbs these human regulating measures. In the desert, the scarce water suddenly forces a path through a dry arroyo, causes it to overflow and deliver flash floods. A little rainfall can create new and unique pathways that remain visible for scores of years.

The three artists experiment with land and water each in their own way. While doing so, they create strong images, beautiful sounds, thoughtful observations and fascinating installations. It is also hard work: De Ruijter spends long days flying his kite in the unstable winds of the high desert and sometimes has to fight hard to prevent his camera from diving and crashing into a canyon wall; he hikes mile after mile and climbs steep canyon walls to retrieve his camera and kite. Ausloos also hikes for hours on end to collect greenish, red, copper, white and mustard-colored dirt with which to create colored tracks in the dull grey badlands, or fill vessels with miniatures of the desert. Van Westen’s camera and microphone capture the subtle life of the dry lands. (Ton Haak)

Desert Passage Exhibition
October 9, 2009 – January 24, 2010
Harwood Museum of Art
Taos New Mexico USA

Anne Ausloos
Gerco de Ruijter
Jeroen van Westen