Hidden in the floodplains near Arnhem are the remnants of a Roman Castrum, a fortified military camp.
Remarkably so, as the river Rhine has saved the original fortress for over 2000 years, even when it was located within its catchment area. The Castellum Meinerswijk-installation shows the size of the most important part of the Castrum, the principia, in the context of the river-landscape. Here, water safety regulations apply: no solid ground cover, and no permanent or green elements that might damage the soil or obstruct the flow. The fragmented open character is actually a quality of the site, rather than a loss, linking history and landscape together. A low budget, light and reversible construction expresses the layers found in this place. Oriented in a northeast-southwest direction, the design can securely flood in wintertime. The layers of the gabions refer to: burnt timber (slate), stone principia walls (lime stone), and roofing (broken roof tiles).
