Ontworpen Spontaniteit: Een onderzoek naar de benadering van ecologie in de praktijk van het Nederlandse landschapsontwerp in stedelijke gebieden uit de jaren '70 en '80

Bloemers, Hilde. "Ontworpen Spontaniteit: Een onderzoek naar de benadering van ecologie in de praktijk van het Nederlandse landschapsontwerp in stedelijke gebieden uit de jaren '70 en '80." Master's thesis, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2023.

This thesis, titled Ontworpen Spontaniteit (Designed Spontaneity), investigates the integration of ecology within Dutch landscape architecture during the 1970s and 1980s. The research addresses a central tension: whether ecology can truly be "designed" or if the concept remains a professional myth. By adopting an architectural history perspective, Bloemers examines how the "ecological worldview"—fueled by mid-century environmental concerns like Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring—was translated into urban design practice. The study utilizes a tripartite framework to analyze the ecological design process: preparation, design, and management. This framework is applied to three primary case studies: Het Twiske (recreation area), Haagse Beemden (urban expansion), and Molenwijk (residential park). In Het Twiske, the author explores a comprehensive ecological process; in Haagse Beemden, the focus shifts to the anthropogenic use of the landscape and state-subsidized recreation; and in Molenwijk, the research highlights a scientific approach to "planting communities" and soil conditions. The thesis concludes that ecological landscape design is not a linear event but a continuous process. A key finding is that the management phase is as critical as—if not more important than—the initial design, as it maintains the intended "spontaneous" ecological image over time. Ultimately, Bloemers argues that while each case prioritized different phases, they collectively demonstrate that ecology in landscape architecture is a tangible, manageable discipline that remains highly relevant for contemporary urban challenges.

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