The present sea map is a translation of a vision for the future of the southern part of the North Sea and its adjacent coastal areas. It is part of ‘Magnificent Surroundings # Belgian part of the North Sea and coastal area’, a design-based research project. It provides an initial, exploratory attempt at developing a critical viewpoint on maritime spatial planning and the future of these European coastal areas, presenting the ‘commons’ as the leading principle for spatial organisation in the future: “….the sea needs to be properly managed as a valuable common good, a carefully nurtured common. Just like forests, water and the atmosphere, the sea can be considered as a
‘common-pool resource’, a natural, common resource quasi-free for anybody to en joy. But common-pool resources are not inexhaustible, they are sensitive to problems like pollution, wastage and overuse. …” This exploration of an updated concept of ‘commons’ is intended to fuel the ethical debate on maritime planning from a socio-ecologically inspired basic idea. “magnificent surroundings” is itself based on the same principle.
The exhibition is open during office hours until January 30th
magnificent surroundings .org is supported by Belgische Stichting Roeping / Vocatio. (www.magnificentsurroundings.org).
The present publication and presentation are subsidized by the Flemish Government, Art and heritage and powered by the Flemish Institute for Architecture - Vlaams Architectuurinstituut.
Project support: Goedhart Repro