Lieke Frielink

Department: Social Design

Cityscape Follows Manscape

Cities that lack a long history, often struggle with their identity. Almere, where Lieke Frielink grew up, is a typical ‘new town’. It did not grow organically but was built from scratch in the course of a few years in the reclaimed Flevopolder. As the city continues to grow, Lieke proposes to preserve its consciously constructed character instead of covering it up with new urban layers.
Analysing the landscape – she calls it ‘manscape’ – of Almere's Pampushout area, she found that many sight lines are oriented on the dyke that protects it from the sea. ‘Cityscape Follows Manscape’ celebrates these sight lines along ditches, canals or forest edges. The wooden objects refer to the tools surveyors used for their measurements. As they guide our view towards the dyke at the horizon, they remind us of the origins of this land, marking the polder identity and making a statement for future city planning.