On February 4 2019, the project Hoogwatergeul Veessen-Wapenveld won de Nederlandse Bouwprijs (the Dutch Construction Award) in the category Civil Engineering Works. Witteveen+Bos was involved in this project during the design phase. According to the jury, this is a 'beautiful example of a Dutch Delta with safety within an integrated area approach'. Two projects were nominated for the category Civil engineering works, including the winning project. Witteveen+Bos was also involved in the second nominated project, the first biobosed composite bridge, in the Frisian hamlet Ritsumasyl.  

The high-water channel Veessen-Wapenveld is located between the villages Veessen and Wapenveld in the municipality of Heerde in Gelderland and was opened in February 2017. The channel is eight kilometres long and is flanked by dikes. It is expected that the inlet valves will have to be opened once every hundred years: a better flow of the river water will reduce the risk of flooding. The trench has been constructed in such a way that the natural and agricultural functions of the area have been preserved and even strengthened.

The jury motivated: 'In this project everything comes together: climate adaptation, nature value, improved conditions for the farmers and an experience value by adding new recreational possibilities.' According to the jury, this is the result when an interdisciplinary team of architects, landscape architects and engineers work together; a solution that does what it was designed to do - controlling high water - but also blends in beautifully with its surroundings. Here '1+1=3' applies; everyone involved in the area benefits!

Construction team
The execution of the project, which is due to be completed in 2019, has been contracted by the IJsselweide consortium, a consortium of Boskalis and Van Hattem en Blankevoort. Volker Infra Design was responsible for the design. Witteveen+Bos and Lodewijk Baljon Landschapsarchitecten supported Volker Infra Design in the design (phase). The parties who contributed to the project - including Boskalis, Rijkswaterstaat, Waterschap Vallei en Veluwe and Witteveen+Bos - stated in their submission that the high-water channel is one of the largest and most effective projects within the Room for the River programme.

More about the Nederlandse Bouwprijs
The award is an initiative of the Foundation De Nederlandse Bouwprijs. The aim of the foundation is to promote the quality and distinctive character of the construction industry and to stimulate the versatile building talent in the Netherlands. Since 1991 the foundation has awarded the Nederlandse Bouwprijs every two years.