In the basement of the complex, water - mainly collected rainwater - is stored and transported to the upper floors via a separate piping system. Small technical areas with distribution boxes have been built on these floors, from which water is divided into groups. Each green zone is equipped with a moisture sensor that allows the system to meet the water demand (depending on location, altitude, accessibility of rainwater and air currents, among other factors) per zone in a smart way.
CO-CREATOR OF THE VALLEY
HB Watertechnologie was called upon to irrigate this exuberant garden landscape
TEXT MARIEKE POOL █ FOTOGRAPHY KEESNAN DOGGER
At Amsterdam's Zuidas, also called the second centre of our capital, you will find The Valley. Winy Maas of MVRDV is responsible for the design of this imposing building with sleek exterior lines, the natural stone heart and the overwhelming greenery created between the residential towers by landscaper Piet Oudolf. HB Watertechnologie, expert in inner-city water management and knowledge partner on climate adaptation, was called upon to irrigate this exuberant garden landscape.
THE VALLEY
'What makes a project like The Valley so challenging is the fragmentation of greenery. The tall towers with their many nuances make this greenery difficult to access. Fortunately, the architect also understood that watering deserved attention right from the design phase. This insight was the basis of the smart irrigation solution that The Valley now has.'
'It is a self-managing system that the building manager of The Valley does not have to worry about. I can imagine people find it quite a lot of work for a few plants. But it really isn’t that bad If you include this system in the design phase, it is well worth the effort - which includes making provisions in the structural phase and fine-tuning in the finishing phase. This is because it provides benefits on several levels: you reuse rainwater, evaporation from the bins provides cooling and it benefits biodiversity. Not to mention the aesthetic added value. The Valley has really become a landmark partly thanks to these green spaces.'
CLIMATE ADAPTATION
'The earth is facing a changing climate in which weather conditions are becoming more severe. Increasing temperatures and heavier rainfall have a major impact on the liveability of inner-city areas. Add to that the endangered biodiversity, and it is clear that we need to act. Adding greenery to urban areas is one such solution. One embraced by municipalities and water boards and included in tenders.
Our mission is to use smart hardware and software solutions to contribute to enabling and managing urban nature.’ In our conversation, Kris Bouhuijzen makes it more than clear that it is not just about his business, but above all, about a social contribution. Kris speaks selflessly at seminars to highlight climate adaptation and regularly contributes free of charge to innovations that may contribute to this issue. 'I want to push boundaries every day and raise the bar, because I realise we are far from the end point. That is also why I always take criticism to heart. Each project has its own challenges and we take this knowledge gained into subsequent projects. Of course, you have good business as a company, I also think it's important to actually contribute to something.'
