In conjunction with the 2nd International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam, the exhibition Polders - The Scene of Land and Water examines the past, present, and future impact of polders in the Dutch landscape. The biennale has ended but the exhibition will run until September 4, 2005.
“The rectilinear Dutch landscape of polders (reclaimed land) with its characteristic locks, dikes, windmills, farms and cows is instantly recognizable. This rational landscape is unique, but also fragile. The Netherlands has more than three thousand polders, which have undergone various spatial developments over the years. They will continue to change as a result of pressures from urban and rural factors. But how? Must we preserve the aesthetic value of the polder landscape? Will they become building sites? Or will they be partially surrendered to the forces of nature?”