Visitor Centre at the De Biesbosch National Park
- Sabine Drey
Back in the 1990s, De Biesbosch, a nature sanctuary in southern Holland, was named a national park; from the start it had an 11-part visitor centre. The program to safeguard the country against flooding included educational measures such as this museum. The architects decided to retain the pavilions and add a wing holding a restaurant and temporary exhibitions. They refurbished the existing structures and covered the entire complex in a layer of vegetation. On the tops of the 11 hills are waterways and paths that lead to a viewing platform. Existing facades, floors and roof structures were retained to a great extent; in a few instances additional levels – and dormers – were added to hold the administration.
