Take away the Alps from a Swiss and he loses part of his Swiss identity.

The Netherlands has a Metropolitan structure unlike that of Paris, New York and London. Eleven million people live in a landscape in which cities and villages are embedded. In daily commuting between city centres, a landscape existing of polders, forests, hills and dunes is experienced. The landscape is within reach, even for those residing in a tenth floor appartment in the city centre.

Unfortunately, the system is under pressure and for the last decennia this particular nature, which could be considered the equivalent of the Alps to the Dutchman, is slowly eroding. Now is the moment to emphasise the importance of the experience of the landscape and to revalue her cultural-historical value.

In West8’s project, a set of collective values which creates access and understanding to the citydweller, has literally been added and translated into a mountainous landscape. They represent the radical landscape which is unique to the Dutch Metropolis. Collective value, however, does not imply that the value is fixed and each person will experience it the same way. One may appreciate the horizon much more than forests, another may value the cultural landscape rather than nature.

The represented mountainous landscape is a subjective representation of the Dutch Metropolis.

The installation has been developed parallel to the film “U Bent Nu Hier” by Popov Film. Both are commissioned by the Ministry for Infrastructure and Environment, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Landscape and Innovation with regards to the Green Blue Delta.

More information about these clips can be found on the Holland doc website.