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Interdisplinary team of students wins competition for the entrance area of the sluisjesdijk pier

An interdisciplinary team of students has won the competition for the redesign of the entrance area of the Sluisjesdijk pier. The jury spoke of a “strong and simple plan which in addition is very manageable and has a lot of potential”.

Interdisplinary team of students wins competition for the entrance area of the sluisjesdijk pier

The competition, organized by Fieldacademy and commissioned by the Harbour Company, was aimed at students.  The main assignment was formed by the question of how one could give meaning to the area for both inhabitants from the nearby neighbourhoods and the other users of the harbor area. Concurrent to this, the suggested interventions also needed to be realistic seen as the Harbour Company was going to realize the winning plan. The jury consisted of representatives from the Harbour Company, the Academy of Building Sciences and the TU Delft.  

The winning design distinguishes itself through its focus on the programmatic connections with the outdoor space. Elements such as a platform and a pedestal for changeable artwork challenge users to actively participate in the furnishing and use of the area after its completion. In addition the design distinguishes itself through a balanced relationship between paved and unpaved surfaces and unique planting. The desired ‘eye-catcher’ for instance is translated to a distinct red beech.

The remarkable result can in part be owed to the interdisciplinary composition of the team. The balance between stylization, programming, green design and management can be read back in the design from this team: a landscape architect from Wageningen, a sociologist from Leiden and two architecture students from Delft. The winning team was commissioned to develop their initial plan to the level of an actual definitive design. Subsequently they will take on the role of co-supervisors in the realization phase.

Surprised by the candid approach and creativity of the students, the Harbour Company is now considering repeating the approach on other meaningful places between harbor and city. Based on the experiences gained from this competition Fieldacademy also views this approach as an excellent opportunity for future students to show how they can deal with complex and realistic assignments.