Erick van Egeraat

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Erick van Egeraat proposes sustainable future for Sochi post-Olympics

Monday, 27 April 2009

Erick van Egeraat presented his proposal for Imeretimskaya Valley, the area designated to host the ice-skating stadiums as well as the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Key part of the plans is a highly cost-efficient ‘polder system’ which allows for the extraction of excess water, preserving both the characteristic landscape and the majority of the existing habitation. “Especially in an area with such poor soil conditions, we have an obligation to find sustainable solutions.

This is why our proposal incorporates as much as possible the existing characteristics of the site instead of going against them. It does not cover the swampland with millions of cubic meters of sand and saves most of the amalgam of houses that are there.” says Erick van Egeraat, who is known for his plans for the Sochi region. “Of course a lot will change in this valley, but it can be done at a substantially lower cost and with more sensitivity towards the people living in the region.”

Defining element in the plan is the use of a very simple soil improvement system that has been in operation in The Netherlands for hundreds of years. This so-called ‘polder system’ consists of a network of small canals used to extract all excess water in the area. It has proven to save hundreds of millions of US dollars. The plan was developed in good co-operation with Moscow based Russian planner Karatayev and Dutch hydro-technical engineers Witteveen+Bos. The latter are well known for their world-class expertise used in for example Dubai, Indonesia and St. Petersburg. The plan accommodates the future Olympic stadiums and provides a much-needed vision for Imeretimskaya Valley after the Winter Olympics. Both Olympstroy and Sochi planners are currently studying the proposals.