PILOT SUSTAINABLE GREENPORT BOSKOOP – BOSKOOP, THE NETHERLANDS

The Green Port Region Boskoop is the central Green Port for Horticulture and Tree Cultivation. Boskoop is home to a cluster of gardening businesses, suppliers and knowledge and research institutions. Green Port Boskoop is one of six green ports in the Netherlands and responsible for 7% of the total land in Holland devoted to ornamental plant cultivation. This is equal to more than 30% of the entire turnover of ornamental plant produce. The horticulture sector in Boskoop is leading innovation in production technology. These innovations have mainly been specific for each business itself and the knowledge remained within the own company. Nowadays it is becoming increasingly important to work together. A few examples would be sharing costs, improving sustainability in the sector as a whole, and reinforcing the strength of the entire cluster. An impulse is needed to encourage the sharing of knowledge.

Stijlgroep participated in the whole process with stakeholders as the government, municipalities, provinces and regional water boards. In this way creating a strategy that allows a collaboration between the owners, and thus create a “ground bank” system that allows the necessary increase in scale through exchange in land. The biggest obstacle until then, the implantation of water management and ecology, was turned into the collective strength and identity in the heart of the pilot. The need for water and ecology is also offered through a “merchandise bank”. Therefore, instead of a financial impossibility, it turns into economic value and profit.

Location: Boskoop, The Netherlands
Client: Municipality of Boskoop
Date: 2013 - 2015
Category: Strategy, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture