Zwijndrecht Walburg
Project
The city of Zwijndrecht, the
Netherlands commissioned Lucien den Arend to make a sculpture for the new district of
Walburg. He was at liberty to choose a location. The only request to him was to design
something which was functional and would blend with its surroundings. He chose for a
location where he had been before Walburg was planned. It was the boundary between the
towns of Zwijndrecht and Hendrik Ido Ambacht. High tension wires crossed this
site. In misty weather one could hear the electric current. Once a year the
sunset marked one end of the electric cables. On the longest day the dividing
line, a man made brook, between the two towns pointed to the sunrise. This
combination of details gave him the
inspiration he needed.
The etymology of the word Walburg justified
his intentions: wall being an elongated earthen mound, and burg a
fortification. He named it the Walburg Project.
He worked on the designs from 1971 to 1972.
In 1973 the proposal was accepted and executed.
Walburg Project 1971|1973 earth - asphalt -
meandering dike , bronze, high-tension pylon and pollard willows - 136x50x19m Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands
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