Connection and separation, or synthesis and dissolution, to draw on Georg Simmel’s expression, are each the precondition of the other. It lightens me to rethink the core of boundary. In the estate landscape of Veluwe Zoom, the elites and noble use flowing water, shrubs, walls, fences to declare their own territory and maintain bridge, passage to connect. The past boundary in estate landscape is functional and programmatic. The current huge grey infrastructure for connecting disrupt the original estates landscape and became the insurmountable boundary.
The estate landscape in the veluwe zoom of Netherlands have undergone a quite dramatic transformation from rural hinterland to residential suburb and some have been part of the larger urban landscape. The boundaries between the estates landscape and urban built area is shifting and changing and have threaten the protection of estate landscape. The future transformation of these unique estate landscape needs to be negotiated with the urbanization process and the ecology integration.The current boundaries system needs to take responsibility of the disconnectedness of estate ensemble, ecology corridor and disorderly urban sprawl. An explicit boundary could better ensure the quality and quantity of “void”, the landscape patch and corridor.
The revitalization of estates landscape relies on the redefining of these boundaries. The transition and separation are understood as the inner concept of boundary. The function of separation will ensure the uniqueness of estate landscape and the transition echo to the land fragmentation which is one common issue of Europe urbanization process.