Marleen van Egmond

Het deinen van de duinen

The Rolling Dunes

"Deinen" refers to a rhythmic, swaying, or gently rolling movement, often associated with the sea, wind, or other natural elements.
A poetic vision for a resilient and future-proof landscape system in and around the Schoorl Dunes.

"Het deinen van de duinen" provides insight into the close relationship between dune and polder, and how they are inextricably linked through the water and soil systems. By activating the polder landscape with new landscape experiences, both ecological and recreational pressures on the dunes are relieved.

Over 150 years ago, this landscape in North Holland consisted only of shifting sand, where no plant dared to grow. The inhabitants of the villages pleaded for a solution to the drifting sand. Countless efforts to plant marram grass and pine trees eventually anchored the dunes. The landscape transformed from a harsh and wild area into a sanctuary for humans and animals. Landowners invited artists to the area, who admired and captured the striking contrasts between the high dunes and flat polders.

Today, this landscape has become a recreational hotspot, known for its campsites and holiday homes. However, pressure on the dunes continues to rise. It's not just recreational activities that are stressing the landscape, but also climate threats such as the nitrogen crisis, which is causing grass encroachment in the dunes. Rising sea levels threaten the width of the dunes, and the pine forest contributes to soil acidification. Summer droughts cause groundwater levels to drop, drying out the dunes and leading to potential drinking water shortages. Monocultures in vegetation, agriculture, and bulb cultivation have led to a significant decline in biodiversity. While agriculture once coexisted with nature, it is now a separate system serving primarily functional purposes.

What was once a dynamic system is now set in stone. The landscape is unable to adapt and lacks future value. The natural logic of the landscape is lost, and a new, ecologically based vision is needed. This graduation project explores the ecological foundation and how the landscape can regain its natural dynamism. The goal is to make the landscape future-proof and resilient, capable of facing upcoming challenges. Like the artists of the past, this project offers a renewed landscape experience between dune and polder.


Graduation date: 13 mei 2024
Graduation committee: Saline Verhoeven (mentor), Marit Janse, Jandirk Hoekstra †, Hanneke Kijne
Additional members for the exam: Thijs de Zeeuw, Willemijn van Manen