Dressing the Nature* Cranendonk

Location: Cranendonk, The Netherlands

Team Melita: Prisca Arosio and Vittoria Rossi 

Competition Info: invited competition Clash of the titans Competition, Magical Cranendonck; The redevelopment of the Barony of Cranendonck, Phidias Community Cooking 

program: restaurant 470 sqm, cooking class and catering area 1,700 sqm, commercial area 540 sqm, residential area 340 sqm (5 apartments), hotel 2000 sqm, pavilion 135 sqm, walled garden and food forest

2018

Competition request: How can we further upgrade Cranendonck Barony without negatively affecting the qualities of the area? We are looking for concepts and additional functions/facilities to provide new impetus for the area; these should complement the current surroundings. We are mainly asking for a focus on nature development and developing the centre. 

Nature and Agriculture have always been present in Cranendonck, from the past until today, in different proportions. This mix is an untapped treasure that can drive the future: Cranendonck will become the center where these two components meet and where people can discover and interact with both. This center is physically synthesised by a pavilion. The outcome of this meeting is food. The transition from Nature and Agriculture is perfectly represented by the Food Forest, an ecosystem designed to yield food at simple management. Here, ideally, is where Nature, from National Parks, and Agriculture, in its different forms, converge. It is a natural farm, it is “FARMING NATURE”.

What happen where there is food? Some actions come to mind: eating-cooking-tasting-gathering-meeting-enjoying-remembering-experimenting-learning-discovering. Cranendonck of tomorrow will settle all of these with a program, mainly addressed to week users (team buildings activities) and to weekend users (walker and cyclists), with a constant food production. At local scale there will be indoor or outdoor activities all connected by paths, keeping when possible what already exist: buildings will be restored and adapt to new uses, while existing plantations will be kept and integrated to new. At large scale, there will be connections through walking/bicycle paths that allows to discover Nature and Agriculture, reaching the center of Cranendonck. Although the initial high investment of money, the return for the community will be significant: Cranendonck, while becoming a unique destination, will have economic revenues from profitable activities. It will also support local economy and businesses.