Reclaimed Lakes

The Reclaimed Lakes project shows the long history between man and water in the Dutch landscape by zooming in on the water grids in reclaimed lakes. By using the landscape itself as a template, this installa- tion shows the shape of the water if you were to fill these lakes with water again.

26 percent of the Netherlands’ surface area is below sea level, it is a man-made relief with valleys of up to 6.75 metres n depth. Especially former lakes are still visible looking down on the land with height cameras. This project gives shape to these former lakes by using the landscape as a mould, and being contructed using GIS software. It reveals the stunning contrast between the visible organic form of water and the precise grids of man-made waterways. It provides insight in the historical layers of landscape, revealing human activity as a major geological force throughout the centuries.