Eden Soestdijk. Landscape as social catalyst

The palace of Soestdijk is one of the most important palaces of the Netherlands. The ntervention in its extensive gardens, which will create the Eden Soestdijk, superimposes a reality on the existing fairy tale environment, with the aim to propose a citizen reflection on current problems such as sustainability or scarcity of resources.

Aerial view. Eden Soestdijk by MECANOO. Image © Omega Render

Thus, MECANOO proposes a series of interventions in the Soestdijk state which share the objective of raising citizen awareness about environmental problems. The installations stimulate visitors through different environments (desert, jungle, etc.) and acting on human senses.

In addition to the landscape intervention in the gardens of Soestdijk, MECANOO also proposes a re-use of the interior of the castle, dedicating some rooms to exhibition areas and meeting areas between different urban agents.

Description of the project by MECANOO

The Soestdijk Estate will be transformed into Eden Soestdijk; an experimental garden for a sustainable society and a paradise destination for all. That is the plan developed by the Eden Soestdijk foundation, Mecanoo architecten, Kossmann.dejong and Royal HaskoningDHV in response to the redevelopment competition for the Palace organised by the Dutch government.

The redevelopment of the Soestijk estate has a social purpose in creating a more sustainable society. An educative journey will touch all the visitors’ senses, triggering them to become more aware and conscious of the earth’s fragility.

Eden Soestdijk aims to make a signficant contribution to meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It has international appeal and will be an economic, educative and cultural asset to the Netherlands.

Francine Houben, creative director of Mecanoo architecten, one of the partners of Eden Soestdijk: “The Palace Soestdijk Estate is one of the most fairytale like surroundings of the Netherlands: the ideal canvas for Eden Soestdijk. The royal family has always cherished the relationship with the surrounding landscape. The plan for Eden Soestdijk responds to this in a beautiful manner.”

Socio-economic benefit
More than half a million yearly visitors are expected to come to Eden Soestdijk from 2020 onward, amongst which fifty thousand students. As a result of this, nearly fifty-seven million euro’s annually will be fed back to the economy, especially regionally.

In addition the park offers a wealth of opportunities for intern and apprenticeships as well as positions for those with difficulty accessing the job market. Because Eden Soestdijk is being developed and exploited in a non-profit manner, all continued proceeds will be reinvested in the further development of the estate.

Eden Soestdijk builds on the connection of many Dutch citizens to the estate and the palace. Development of the plans will take place in dialogue with residents, entrepreneurs and organisations from Baarn, Soest and the wider region.

Iconic Greenhouse
An architectural greenhouse winding through the forest behind the palace gardens will be the main icon of Eden Soestdijk. Within this striking greenhouse visitors will be taken on an interactive expedition through spectacular landscapes highlighting topics of circularity, ecological balance and the social aspects of sustainability.

In the tropical rainforest you will experience the importance of biodiversity. Efficient and sustainable food production is the central message of the high-tech agricultural area. In a subterranean world you will see how fungi and bacteria work.

The results of climate change become visible in an icy artic landscape and the unique Martian landscape stresses the fragility of the earth from a cosmic perspective.

Palace
The chambers within the palace showcase the rich history of the estate and its residents. They will be restored while maintaining the original character and, when possible, used for cultural and business events.

The palace also serves as an incubator space for sustainability where entrepreneurs, experts and students can exchange knowledge and develop ideas.

The wing chambers will be designed as interactive exhibition spaces that showcase the beauty of nature from a cultural, historical and scientific perspective. Multimedia presentations stimulate the visitors’ fantasy, motivating them to interact with the world in a more sustainable manner.

Gardens
The landscape is an integral part of Eden Soestdijk. The palace gardens will be restored in full glory. Exciting, educative and fairytale-like gardens and landscapes strengthen the experience of nature. They will each connect with the central theme of sustainability while showcasing a unique individual atmosphere. The front square connects the palace and the restaurant in the conservatory and will be publicly accessible through a pedestrian and cycling tunnel beneath the Amsterdamse Straatweg.

“The Palace Soestdijk Estate is one of the most fairytale like surroundings of the Netherlands: the ideal canvas for Eden Soestdijk. The royal family has always cherished the relationship with the surrounding landscape. The plan for Eden Soestdijk responds to this in a beautiful manner.” - Francine Houben, Creative Director Mecanoo

Initiators
Eden Soestdijk was initiated by the Eden Soestdijk foundation, partnering with Mecanoo architecten, Eden Project, Kossmann.dejong exhibition architects, Royal HaskoningDHV and Bureau voor Bouwhistorisch Onderzoek en Restauratie F. Franken. The project was inspired by the Eden Project in Cornwall (Great-Britain) where more than a million visitors annually learn about the importance of a sustainable lifestyle in a fun and engaging manner.

The development of Eden Soestdijk involved a number of civil society partners, amongst which universities, colleges and various vocational colleges from the surrounding area, but also the MELiSSA-project run by the European Space Agency (ESA) - represented by IPstar - and the Dutch association of Botanical Gardens

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Dome interior view. Eden Soestdijk by MECANOO. Image © MECANOO

Aerial view of the Palace Soestdijk. Eden Soestdijk by MECANOO. Photograph © Rijksvastgoedbedrijf

Impression exhibition space by day. Eden Soestdijk by MECANOO. Image © MECANOO

Model. Eden Soestdijk by MECANOO. Image courtesy of MECANOO.

Dome structure. Eden Soestdijk by MECANOO. Image © MECANOO

Dome exterior view. Eden Soestdijk by MECANOO. Image © MECANOO

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More information

Francine Houben. MECANOO

Francine Houben (Holland 1955) began formulating the three fundamentals of her lifelong architectural vision while studying at the Delft University of Technology. It was in this crucible of higher learning that she began an architectural practice with two fellow students with the design of a groundbreaking social housing development. As a result, she graduated as architect with cum laude honours in 1984 and officially founded Mecanoo architecten with these same partners.

Francine has remained true to her architectural vision, Composition, Contrast, Complexity throughout her career. Always looking for inspiration and the secret of a specific location, Francine bases her work on both analyses and intuition. She enjoys interweaving social, technical, playful and humane aspects together in order to form a unique solution to each situation. Francine Houben combines the disciplines of architecture, urban planning and landscape architecture in an untraditional way; with sensitivity for light and beauty.

Her use of material is expressive. She is known as one of the most prolific architects in Europe today. Her wide-ranging portfolio comprises an intimate chapel built on the foundations of a former 19th century chapel in Rotterdam (2001) to Europe’s largest library in Birmingham (2013). Francine Houben’s work reveals a sensory aspect determined by form and space, a lavish use or subtle combinations of the most diverse materials, as well as planes of saturated colour. Francine’s contribution to the profession of architecture is widely recognized. She was granted lifelong membership to the Akademie der Künste, Berlin in 2010.

In 2008, she received the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year Award. Honorary fellowships to the American Institute of Architects and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, and an international fellowship to the Royal Institute of British Architects were granted to her in previous years. The past three decades have seen her cumulative effect on the profession of architecture. Francine lectures all over the world and takes part as a jury member in prestigious competitions.

Her commitment to research and education is evidenced in her instatement as professor in Architecture, Chair of Aesthetics of Mobility at the Delft University of Technology (2000), her professorship at the Universitá della Svizzera Italiania, Accademia di architettura, Switzerland (2000) and her appointment as visiting professor at Harvard (2007). Dedication to her alma mater is reflected in generous sponsorship of the UfD-Mecanoo Award for the best graduating student of the Delft University of Technology.

Francine Houben lives in Rotterdam, a modern city where the skyline is dotted with buildings designed by world renowned architects; including her award winning Montevideo Skyscraper (2005). It was in this dynamic city that she directed and curated the First International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (2003), with the theme, ‘Mobility, a room with a view’. She has realised numerous signature projects throughout the Netherlands and Europe including Philips Business Innovation Centre, FiftyTwoDegrees in Nijmegen, (2005-2006), La Llotja Theatre and Conference Centre in Lleida, Spain (2009) and the Delft University of Technology Library (1999). Currently, she is expanding her architectural vision to other continents with the design of Taiwan’s largest theatre complex, The Wei-Wu-Ying Center for the Arts in Kaohsiung (2014), Dudley Municipal Center in Boston (USA) and Shenzhen Cultural Center (China). In 2011 the book Dutch Mountains was released, a chronicle of Francine Houben and eight special projects in five different countries.

Francine maintains an active presence in academia and culture, regularly publishing and giving lectures worldwide. She has performed in many academic and professional capacities throughout her career, including Chair of Architecture and Aesthetics of Mobility at Delft University of Technology, visiting professor at Harvard Graduate School of Design, and as director of the First International Architecture Biennale in Rotterdam.

Francine has received honorary fellowships from the Royal Institute of British Architects, the American Institute of Architects and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. In 2014 Francine was named Woman Architect of the Year by the Architects’ Journal and in November 2015 Queen Máxima of The Netherlands presented Francine with the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Prize for her wide-ranging career. Francine was awarded Honorary Doctorates from the Université de Mons, Belgium (2017) and the Utrecht University (2016).

“Architecture must appeal to all the senses. Architecture is never a purely intellectual, conceptual, or visual game alone. Architecture is about combining all the individual elements into a single concept. What counts in the end is the arrangement of form and emotion.”

Francine Houben, architect/creative director Mecanoo Architecten.

Published on: January 12, 2017

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