Translated from the original article
Former Valkenburg Airfield is packed with history. Romans defended their empire here, Germans landed here in 1940, and the Cold War became tangible here. Thousands of homes are to be built on the site. Students from Leiden and Delft are investigating how they can make this past visible.
Northern Border of the Roman Empire
The Leiden archaeology students are taking this course together with Landscape Architecture students from TU Delft. Their assignment: how can the rich history of the former Valkenburg airfield be made visible to residents and visitors of the new Valkenhorst residential area? In this area, the Romans defended the Limes, the northern border of the Roman Empire, for two centuries shortly after the beginning of the Common Era. They did so, among other things, from a large military camp located here. Archaeologists found many remains here, such as post holes, ditches, and wooden foundations, according to Jansen. The presence of the camp may be linked to the conquest of Britain starting in 43 AD.
Cold War
In the twentieth century, this site once again played an important role due to the construction of Valkenburg Airfield. German paratroopers landed right here on May 10, 1940, and shortly thereafter built a series of bunkers as part of the Atlantic Wall. After the Second World War, during the Cold War, the airfield served as a base for aircraft tasked with tracking Russian submarines. The students were tasked with incorporating the various stories into the new neighborhood based on an overarching concept. Jansen: ‘We challenge them to do more than just design information boards. Students will discuss this with input from local stakeholders such as municipal and provincial officials.’
Clashing Interests
Today, Jansen is supervising the students together with Gerdy Verschuure, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at TU Delft. Verschuure is enthusiastic about the collaboration, which has now been going on for years and ensures a wonderful cross-pollination. ‘My students can design, but have less experience with heritage. Here, they learn how to make heritage visible in the landscape. Later, they will also have to collaborate with other disciplines in their work.’
Jansen: ‘My archaeology students learn how to tell stories about the past. But they, in turn, have less experience with design and translating those stories into images. Here, they learn to align their plans. Archaeologists often think in terms of thousands of years, while structural engineers think in terms of a few hundred years. That sometimes creates friction, but that is precisely what makes the collaboration interesting.’
Bunker Forest
As an example, Verschuure mentions the Bunker Forest near the former airfield. ‘Monumental bunkers from the Second World War stand here. The overgrown trees and plants are damaging the structures. Archaeology students are mindful of the monumental value and want to protect the bunkers. ‘Sometimes some greenery has to be removed. Landscape architecture students, on the other hand, are more inclined to preserve the greenery.’ Jansen cites another example: ‘Archaeologists are often cautious with nuance and want to explain a lot. Designers, however, primarily want a clear and uncluttered picture. Now they have to come to an agreement and make choices together.’
Parachutes as Lamps
On this day, all eight groups of students are still working hard on their designs, which they will present that afternoon. One of those groups is poring over a large map of the area. It consists of two archaeology students from Leiden, Gaëlle and Berent, and architecture students Lara and Luc from TU Delft. Their ideas and designs reflect both disciplines. Along the canal on the site, they want to install lamps in the shape of parachutes. They also want replicas of German warplanes sticking out of the creek. Additionally, they are considering signs with photos of Dutch soldiers and stories about how the Second World War began for them. Berent: ‘We want to tell the grand narrative, but also zoom in on the small personal stories.’
Waterways
This polder area has long struggled with a low groundwater level, according to Lara and Luc from Delft. Their idea: construct canals in the place of the former runways. These new waterways can drain water during heavy rain or serve as a buffer during drought. ‘They are a physical reminder and a nod to the old structures of the airfield,’ says Lara. ‘The water level can also be seen as heritage,’ notes Berent. Additionally, with the construction of mounds, they want to refer to the Roman era.
Real World
Archaeology student Gaëlle considers the lecture a good reality check: ‘This is no longer a theoretical assignment, but a design for the real world. With all the constraints that come with it, such as taking existing building plans into account. That makes it complicated, but also very realistic.’
At the end of the day, all the groups pitch their plans to employees of the Central Government Real Estate Agency, Erfgoedhuis Zuid-Holland, the Municipality of Katwijk, and the Province of South Holland. They respond positively to the proposals and will look into how they can incorporate them into the actual layout of the neighborhood. Afterwards, Jansen looks back with satisfaction: 'Through transdisciplinary education, heritage is given a place in this area.’