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A Sprengenbeek is a stream that has been dug or deepened to tape groundwater from the hill. Most streams were built to drive watermills in order to generate energy, but they were also built to irrigate and supply water to moats, canals, or other waterworks. The efficiency of the water mills was overruled by modern energy supplies. Therefore most of the water mills were demolished, and the Sprengenbeek gradually lost its main function. At the same time, the landscape around changed into a productive agricultural landscape, causing today's environmental problems. The connection between the landscape and the Sprengenbeek disappeared. Moreover, due to climate change, the Sprengenbeek landscape is facing droughts and flood issues. The design aims to enhance the spatial, ecological and circular quality of the Sprengenbeek landscape by a slow transformation and the creation of a series of public spaces in which the cultural-historical elements of the Sprengenbeek contribute and can be experienced. The Sprengenbeek landscape can be divided into five areas: infiltration area, upstream, midstream, urban area, and downstream. Each area has different issues and asks for different strategies in terms of sustainability, management and possibilities for the development of public spaces. The result is a diverse, sustainable, readable Sprengenbeek landscape that provides approaches and is an inspiration for areas facing similar problems., Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Landscape Architecture

The course AR1LA051, which is part of the landscape architecture master of the TU Delft, explores the water system of the Dutch lowlands. In a collaborative effort 15 students, split in seven teams, work together to transform a “boezem”-system on the fringe of Rotterdam. The individual efforts of each group and the overall group strategy are summarized in this book.