Weymouth RR

environmental thoughts

A new road through a traditional English rural landscape presents a number of problems which can be solved responsibly. Approaching this from an artist's point of view will give unexpected results.

Weymouth Relief Road - art in the road environment

Horstermeer pollard willow project

Site specific, Horstermeer entrance road to the complex in Holland.

The entrance road of the water filtration plant of the city of Hilversum, in Holland, runs through a piece of reclaimed land. The strip of land between the entrance road and the exit road a certain length of drainage ditches were necessary. I proposed, instead of projecting them around the circumference of the plot of land, instead to dig them in parallel rows with an oblique angle to the roads on both sides - and on the peninsulas between the ditches rows of pollard willows. The osier culture is a traditional aspect of the Dutch landscape. The willows help keep the embankments dry and the branches provide(d) useful material for the farmers and were used to weave the large rafts on which to build the dykes.

Since a pollard willow is usually cut every three years (depending on the situation, the number of years can be varied), I stipulated that the willows alongside the road should be pollarded in the years which do not coincide with the pollarding of 'my' willows. In this way the contrast is enhanced.

See more on the projects realised page.

 

 

 

 

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