Authors

Malich Ksenia A.
RESTORATION OF THE DUTCH CITIES AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR: A SEARCH FOR AN IDEAL URBAN IMAGE DURING THE RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD

Architecton: Proceedings of Higher Education №2 (46) June, 2014

During the Second World War, tragic bombings destroyed almost completely the Dutch cities of Rhenen , Rotterdam, and Middelburg and caused damage to many other cities. To determined the scope of reconstruction in the destroyed cities, it was essential, on the one hand, to identify physical elements to be restored (planning, architecture) and. on the other hand, to understand the nature of the city and its exclusive function. In the first case, it was about recreation of city’s visual image; in the second case, restoration of its role (in the economy, culture, and politics). These two models of reconstruction were put into practice in the destroyed cities in the Netherlands after World War II. With regard to urban planning theory, the outcomes of the post-war reconstruction were extremely multifaceted. The reconstruction process provided an opportunity to clarify the key features of the cultural heritage, identify important historical experiences, and find a compromise between the radical urban planning solutions of the modernists and the conservative ideas of the traditionalists.