Den Helder is located on the shores of the Marsdeep Strait, which connects the North Sea and the Wadden Sea (Wadden Sea). Its other coast is formed by the Texel Island. This aquatic landscape for centuries has defined the life of the city (among other things, here has been the key base of the Dutch navy for several centuries). But after the expansion of the dam protecting Den Helder from floods, it was cut off from the sea, and therefore the task of the competition was to somehow restore the lost connection, as well as give the city a new symbol.
MVRDV architects proposed a five-kilometer walking and cycling route along the top of the dam, with numerous access points to the sea. However, the main object of the project was the object of "public art" - the observation platform SeaSaw, from which you can admire the landscape. As conceived by the authors, it will fluctuate depending on the water level in the tidal zone. The similarity with the swing is reflected in the name: the English seesaw (swing) became for MVRDV the same "remake" of seasaw in pronunciation, including sea (sea). From above, SeaSaw resembles the mathematical symbol of infinity, which the architects associate with the eternal movement of the sea. It should be noted that the authors have not yet described the actual swinging mechanism of the object.
The project, being developed jointly with IMD engineers, is planned to be implemented already in 2019.
