COLAND Case Study 2020 - Ostend

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Area	Workgroup 7: Ostend
Place	Ostend
Country	Belgium
Topics	Coastal Line Study, Understanding Coastal Landscapes, Evaluation and Assessment for Coastal Landscapes Integrated Planning and Design for Coastal Landscape
Author(s)	Chismorie Almond Edgar David, Delia Laura Maria, Gonțilă Larisa-Cristina, Neculai Raluca-Elena, Trifan Loredana-Andreea, Pătrășcu Paula Silvia, Popa Maria-Andreea

Rationale

Keywords: urban area, diversity, historical background, strategic position, mix between old and new, area as a palimpsest

Ostend area was very important for the strategic position on the North Sea coast, having a complex history and evolution regarding all the layers of its system in the last centuries, becoming now an important urban pole nearby the coast. The erosion of the coast, heavy rainfall, storms and rising sea level due to climate change are the main challenges for the area. Moreover, the tourism is not controlled, and the area can soon be on the list of over-touristed cities.

The study case is structured in three steps: landscape system analysis (understand the coastal landscape and its layers that make a complex system), landscape evaluation and assessment (critically understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats leading to a diagnostic of the area) and finally strategy and master plan, a vision, a proposal, an integrated planning and design for coastal landscapes (projects and directions of intervention to protect and highlight the main characteristics of the zone, while looking to ameliorate the problems).

Location and scope

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A Landscape System Analysis

A.1 Landscape layers and their system context

Geomorphology, landscape units and coastal typology

• Description of evolution, status quo and driving forces, is the coastal typology changing? Why is that? (approx 200 signs)
• add 1-2 graphical representations to the image gallery, you can add more if you like

• Yourcase landscapeunits1.jpg

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• Yourcase landscapeunits2.jpg

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Land use

• settlements, infrastructure, agriculture, resource extraction, natural areas, energy production...
• description of evolution, status quo and driving forces, is the land use likely to change? Why is that? (approx 200 signs)
• add 1-2 graphical representations to the image gallery, you can add more if you like

• Yourcase landuse1.jpg

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• Yourcase landscapeunits2.jpg

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• Yourcase landscapeunit3.jpg

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Green/blue infrastructure

• What are the major potential elements of a green/blue infrastructure network? Are these likely to change/disappear? Why is that?
• You find my background material on green infrastructure in our reading list
• add 1-2 graphical representations to the image gallery, you can add more if you like

• Your case green blue infrastructure1.jpg

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• Your case green blue infrastructure2.jpg

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Actors and stakeholders

• Who is driving changes in this landscape? Who is affected by those changes?
• Draw a stakeholder and/or power map: Who is affected highly but with low power? Who has high power but is not affected?

• Your case your powermap.jpg

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Sacred spaces and heritage

• Which places/elements hold cultural value and to whom?
• You may add a map and some images, please also explain in your caption why these elements are valuable

• 

  Map 1775

• 

  Atlantic Wall 1942 - 1944

• 

  Atlantic Wall Museum

• 

  Field Marshal Erwin Rommel visiting the Atlantic Wall defences near the Belgian port of Ostend

Visual appearance and landscape narrative

The characteristics of the land were modeled by nature and men, the costal landscape remained an iconic part of the setting, whilst the city changed facing numerous hardships such as war. The perception of the city has been contoured during its entire evolution resulting in a distinctive image. The town interweaves the sea landscape with the urban development without losing its identity as a key harboring point. An important aspect of Ostend all throughout history is the culture and personalities it hosted as a place of creation when it was a fashionable outing for royalty and aristocracy. Among the residents that captured the essence and were inspired by the city were the painters James Ensor, Gustaaf Sorel, Roger Remaut, the writer Karel Jonckheere and musician Marvin Gaye.

In return, the city was immortalize in paintings, portraying the sea and the beauty of life, writings, depicting the hardships of World War I and World War II, and in later years in movies or documentaries. The most illustrated subject is the costal landscape, the sea, the harbor, the beach and the promenade along the shore. In the passing of time, all this elements represent the history of the place and combined create the social identity on which the city developed and is identifiable on local and global scale. Ostend is well known for artists under the name “Ensors” town, because of the renowned painter James Ensor. A beautiful description of the essence of this city is “…Ostend also conjures up memories of bursts of energy, and intensity and strength, of a new beginning with the force of a catapult…”, found in the book Summer Before the Dark: Stefan Zweig and Joseph Roth, Ostend 1936 by Volker Weidermann.

• Your case character1.jpg

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A.2 Summary of your landscape system analysis and your development targets

• You can summarize your findings with an DPSI(R) Model or a Spider Diagram
• Link back to the Sustainable Development Goals: Which goals are at risk?
• What is your hypothesis for this landscape?
• Visualise your hypothesis with one graphic/pict
• Are there any existing initiatives taking action in this landscape? Do you have a critical perspective on that?
• Add text and visuals

• Your case your spider diagram or dpsir model.jpg

  explain your analysis briefly in the caption

• Your case your hypothesis visual.jpg

  explain your hypthesis briefly in the caption

A.3 Theory reflection

• choose one international, one European and one national document

Belgian National Adaptation Plan 2017 - 2020

The National Climate Committe members of the federal and regional (Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels) gouvernments built this plan in order to cover all the areas influenced by climate change. Extensive links between different policy areas and thei adaptation efforts will lead to synergies and could further avoid maladaption, finally leading to a coherent adaptation policy. Ostend area, due to the coastal landscape and the vulnerability to climate change needs to have a plan to adapt to this changes: to build capacity and anticipate and mitigate risks and maximize the potential benefits of climate change. The 6th (evaluate the impact of climate change on the security of the energy supply and the energy transport and distribution infrastructures) and 7th (evaluation of the socio-economic impacts of change in Belgium) measure of this document have a direct influence on the study area.

European Commission Marine Strategy Framework Directive

A.4 References

https://www.climat.be/files/4214/9880/5755/NAP_EN.pdf, date 20.02.2020;

https://ec.europa.eu/environment/marine/eu-coast-and-marine-policy/marine-strategy-framework-directive/index_en.htm, date 20.02.2020;

https://www.the-low-countries.com/article/ostend-a-sea-change, date 20.02.2020;

https://www.matchup-project.eu/news/smart-solutions-for-over-touristed-cities/, date 20.02.2020;

https://www.portofoostende.be, date 20.02.2020;

https://www.oostende.be, date 20.02.2020;

https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/metadata/publications/national-adaptation-strategy-belgium, date 20.02.2020;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostend, date 20.02.2020;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Ostend, date 20.02.2020;

J.E Kaufmann,The Atlantic Wall: History and Guide, 2012;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Wall, date 20.02.2020;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Ostend#/media/File:Sitio_de_Ostende.jpg, date 20.02.2020;

https://www.haroldtkint.com/objectdetails/789064/0/0/james-ensor-ostend-belgium-1860-ostend,date 20.02.2020;

https://www.britannica.com/place/Ostend, date 20.02.2020;

https://www.poeticous.com/william-lisle-bowles/the-bells-of-ostend, date 20.02.2020;

https://www.akg-images.co.uk/archive/The-beach-at-Ostend-2UMDHUR67L8E.html, date 20.02.2020;

https://www.iala-aism.org/organisation/agency-for-maritime-services-and-coast-flemish-government/, date 20.02.2020;

https://www.portofantwerp.com/en/flemish-agency-maritime-services-and-coast, date 20.02.2020;

V. Weidermann, Summer Before the Dark: Stefan Zweig and Joseph Roth, Ostend 1936, 2016, date 20.02.2020;

Phase B: Landscape Evaluation and Assessment

B.1 Assessment Strategy

• Based on the hypothesis derived from your previous landscape systems analysis you are now asked to define the goals for assessing the landscape. Your assessment is the basis for evaluating the landscape status.
• Which elements and phenomena need to be mapped, why and how?
• This a text contribution, max 250 words

B.2 Mapping

• As defined by your assessment strategy you conduct the mapping and present your findings here
• As a minimum, at least three different themes need to be mapped, you may choose more if needed

• Your case your assessment mapping themel.jpg

  briefly explain the findings of your mapping

• Your case your assessment mapping theme2.jpg

  briefly explain the findings of your mapping

• Your case your assessment mapping theme3.jpg

  briefly explain the findings of your mapping

B.3 Problem definition and priority setting

• Give a summary of the major findings of your mapping process, what are the problems/potentials identified?
• Draw a problems/potentials map
• Set priorities for the most relevant issues

• Your case problems potentials map.jpg

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B.4 Theory reflection

• Please reflect the assessment and evaluation methods used based on at least three readings
• Did you encounter limitations'
• 200 words test contribution

B.5 References

• give a full list of the references you have used for this section

Phase C – Strategy and Master Plan

C.1 Goal Setting

• Define strategic planning objectives based on the evaluation findings
• Link back to your original targets from section one and the Development Goals
• 150 words text contribution

C.2 Spatial Strategy and Transect

• translate your strategic goals into a vision
• develop a spatial translation of your vision
• exemplify your vision in the form of a transect with concrete interventions
• add map(s) and visualizations

• Your case spatial translaton vision.jpg

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• Your case transect.jpg

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• Your case transect detail1.jpg

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• Your case transect detail2.jpg

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C.3 From Theory of Change to Implementation

• For implementing your vision: Which partnerships are needed? Which governance model is required?
• Who needs to act and how? Draw and explain a change/process model/timeline
• Which resources are needed? On which assets can you build?
• add 150 words text and visuals

• Your case spatial your governance model.jpg

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• Your case spatial your process model.jpg

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C.4 References

• give a full list of the references you have used for this section

D. Process Reflection

• Reflect in your intercultural and interdisciplinary team on the outcomes of your study
• Which limitations were you facing?
• What have you learnt from each other?
• What would you do differently next time?
• You can also use diagrams/visuals
• 250 words text

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