Transforming a low value coastal area into a high value natural and recreational area

The coastal zone in the Netherlands takes a very peculiar place in the discussion about sustainability in the Netherlands. Large areas are left unused and they remain low cost value areas due to the lack of progressive decision-making. These areas have a low value in economic, recreational and natural sense that often lead to a further degradation of the area involved. A responsible way of coping with these areas is essential for a sustainable future of the Netherlands. This downward spiral can only be broken by stepping over the boundaries of the traditional decision making pattern and by implementing sustainable design tools that lead to new forms of (urban) architecture in which sustainability is implicit. In this paper I will demonstrate that by doing the above, low value areas can be transformed into high value areas on all three aspects using an used drilling platform as a landmark and hotel in combination with a yacht harbour in a natural and recreational area in the coastal zone in Katwijk aan Zee, the Netherlands.