Polderpark Oudkarspel
What began as a simple brief, to design a garden around a new office building, evolved into something far more ambitious. Without being asked, we expanded the scope. DELVA saw an opportunity, and took responsibility.
In Oudkarspel, in the heart of the Realm of a Thousand Islands, we created more than a landscape, we reintroduced a functioning ecosystem. Surface water was added, closed systems were opened, and a new connection between architecture and the polder was forged. What started as a commission from a bank soon became a collaboration between the bank, the water board, and DELVA. A unique team, working on a unique place.
A building with its feet in the water
The landscape here doesn’t stop at the building’s edge, it flows into it. The structure is embraced by water, with the heart of the building opening onto a sunken courtyard, adjacent to the restaurant. From there, users look out over open water and into the polder beyond. Floating islands, shaped like lily pads, invite you to sit close to the surface.
It’s quiet here. Expansive. Rooted in place.
Walking the landscape
Inspired by the DNA of the polder, a walking route unfolds around the building; past dikes, across fields, along open water. Along the way, wooden pergolas offer shade, and a circular gathering space hosts outdoor meetings and events. At the front, a farm garden nods to the village’s rural past, with an orchard and native planting. Even the parking lot disappears into a wild, green setting, more like a forest than infrastructure.
Where form follows function
Water is more than a backdrop, it’s a living part of the design. The landscape forms an active water buffer, with weirs regulating levels and allowing parts of the park to store excess water during peak times. Raised paths and wooden bridges keep it accessible year-round. Nature benefits. Biodiversity grows. And users experience the shifting moods of the land.
Design meets ecological intelligence
Natural materials dominate, wood, clay pavers, cobblestones, connecting the building and its surroundings. Trees were selected for their ability to thrive in high groundwater: alder, willow, liquidambar, elm. Hedgerows of rowan, hawthorn, and privet weave along the edges.
This is not just a workplace garden. It’s a contemporary landscape rooted in heritage, shaped by water, and made for people. A place where design becomes stewardship.
TIP: Wear your rain boots.
- Location
- Polderpark Oudkarspel
- Status
- Delivered
- Client
- Water Board and NH1816
- Together with
- Piet Boon, SmitsRinsma, Koppens Bouw, VIC Landscapes
- Photography
- Sebastian van Damme