City of Dordrecht
Project vision
The city of Dordrecht is celebrating 1000 years of city development and wants to integrate climate adaptation targets and guidelines in their spatial plan. The city has initiated the BEGIN project because they want to learn from existing blue green infrastructure projects. In specific they want to:
- Capture social benefits in blue green infrastructure projects by stimulating citizens to take a role in the implementation, operation and maintenance of blue green infrastructure.
- Design with Nature Based Solution in the urban context.
Partner background
The Island of Dordrecht is an area of extremes. The area consist mostly out of sea clay which is almost completely impermeable and holds water above the groundwater level. There is a famous expression that is related to this soil quality: "hoe dichter bij Dordt, hoe rotter het wordt" (Freely translated: The closer to Dordt, the more rotten it becomes). This makes the challenge of the city to become climate proof more difficult, because many of the usable adaptations, like infiltration, are not suitable in this area. Furthermore, the area is in a location threatened by large floods. It is in a transition zone where both sea and river have an effect on the water levels, and thus the chance of floods. This dynamic tidal situation is at the same time the strength of the area. The water has a daily impact of the life in Dordrecht and creates a unique situation of living with the water. Furthermore the area is an hub between the city and the nature, where the southern part of the urban area in the south of Holland transitions into the national park NLDelta Biesbosch-Haringvliet. This multitude of combinations; of challenges and transitions, gives the island of Dordrecht its unique quality and development opportunities.