A historic fort turned into a public park in the Netherlands
Fort Wek aan’t Spoel was originally a military facility designed to protect the municipality back in 1794. However, since it lost its original purpose, it has become a historic structure and a piece of landscape architecture. It’s why Rietveld Landscape and Atelier de Lyon designed a project meant to transform the fort into a public park for everyone to admire and enjoy.
Originally designed to keep the enemy out, the fort was intentionally flooded and the landscape was built up into a series of groves and elevations with thick grass over it and surrounded by inundation locks that could flood the unwanted guests if needed. The landscape is very sculptural and it was the main reason why the architects got the idea of transforming it into something that everyone could admire. The original functions of the specific features of the landscape could be repurposed. For example, the natural hills and the elevations of the fort would make lovely picnic areas.
Of course, the fort and its original purpose will not be forgotten. A new fort house is going to be built and the original bunkers will be preserved as well as the bombproof buildings and the amphitheatres. The hills will have stair steps and the inundation locks will be turned into a waterscape. The fort could become an extraordinary modern attraction with historic foundations.