Bosoase - Almere - 2001 

The appearance of a forest is determined by a combination of abiotic factors and the possibilities these factors offer for the development of flora and fauna. Changing the composition and structure of the soil, the embossing, the water and light balance, the choice of plants and the mutual combinations determines the future forest’s image. Bosoase (forest oasis) is a forest-concept that plays and experiments with these conditions.

Bundling the knowledge and expertise of the forester, the landscape architect and the location-theater, offers the possibility to explore and reveal the feasible and constructible boundaries of forest-forming conditions. Consciously influencing the above factors provides the opportunity to give direction to the construction and development of the forest. All forest-forming activities, during the construction- and management phase, are directed and carried out as a theatrical performance. In this way, the long time of landscape formation is united with the short time of theatrical performances. Landscape theatre leaves physical relics, and the development of growth becomes a performance.

The proposed approach leads to new, contemporary forests with a greater wealth of ecological conditions for flora and fauna. The new forest also harbors an abundance of stories that give meaning and provides an unique identity.

After this eccentric forest construction phase, which lasts for several weeks, the yearly maintenance is presented as a performance by public participation. In this way, the desired maintenant measures are carried out theatrically: undesirable plants are removed, the paths raised, bird’s nesting boxes cleaned and new ideas are added.

Temporary images (from several minutes to several days) and more eternal static images of the forest (several months to several years) are the visible results of these theatrical activities. The activities are like stories; they generate forest images and give the forest its contemporary meaning and memories.

The activities that experiment with biotic and abiotic factors can be enriched with a cultural component, such as sound and light sculptures. This is not only to enrich the activities but can be seen as a generality.