destination development – water as gamechanger

international idea competition, 2nd prize

2017

 

Lammefjorden is Denmark’s biggest and deepest land reclamation project, initiated in 1874. The fjord was eventually drained, and transformed into a matrix of farmland. Lowland farming was once a way to secure food for everyone, although today it is complicated, costly and uncontrollable; it leaches high levels of nitrogen, the soil sinks and there’s an increased risk of flooding. In Re:Fjord, the UNESCO Global Geopark of Odsherred goes beyond municipal borders, demanding a green conversion of Lammefjorden. Water is reintroduced, and Lammefjorden becomes a frontrunner in adapting to future needs. By appreciating water through its shifting nature, the natural environment is protected and developed. Farmland, fjord and villages interconnect, with local produce, culture and recreation. A multilayered landscape appears; main infrastructure is raised above sea level, houses are kept as regulated ruins with new functions, or simply reflecting the past.