Meanderende Maas

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Since the waters of the Rhine and Maas rivers nearly reached the top of the dikes thirty years ago – and even overflowed in Limburg – we've started to think differently about safety in the Dutch delta. We're no longer just strengthening the dikes; we're also giving the rivers more space to handle water. This simultaneously offers new opportunities for both people and nature. Along the Maas, from Ravenstein to Lith, the Meanderende Maas project is being implemented. Using the clay excavated for river widening and dike reinforcement, Atelier NL demonstrates how safety goes hand in hand with increased biodiversity and greater attention to the region's rich history. Clay connects the river with the dike and the animals, with the people who live, work, and enjoy this beautiful landscape.

Making room for rivers

The ultimate symbol of Dutch Design is undoubtedly our inventive approach to water management. For over two thousand years, managing water—with polders, pumping stations, dikes, and canals—has been a key part of our culture. But with climate change, a new strategy is needed: sometimes there’s too much water, sometimes too little. The Netherlands will remain safe and livable if we not only strengthen the dikes but also give rivers more space and retain water. Landscape interventions, such as those in the Meanderende Maas project, contribute to richer ecosystems and new economic opportunities. Atelier NL showcases this development through the eyes of a dike warden, contractor, walker, or stork.

Clay connects

As a unifying element in the exhibition, Atelier NL uses the clay excavated for river widening and dike strengthening. The Maas KleiServies they create from this clay is part of an inspiring journey through the landscape and history of Meanderende Maas. The clay is tangibly present, either raw and unrefined or purified and packaged for use as 'Broodjes' Maasklei. Each bread roll carries a message from you, the visitor, to the person who buys the clay to create something beautiful.