Many of the forts of the Dutch Waterlines were specially built to form a system that could keep the enemy out by flooding the land around them. The latest techniques were used, such as concrete; a material that had only just been developed as a building material. Once again, forts are places where innovation is taking place.
Walls as insulation
The fort on the Nekkerweg in the Beemster is better known to sauna enthusiasts as Fort Resort Beemster. Nowadays it houses a wellness center. Frank Bart started the major renovation of the fort in 2011, in which he tried to preserve as many original details as possible.
Energy also had to be used effectively. The walls that previously protected the soldiers against grenade impacts now keep the interior space at a constant temperature, Bart explains. “When you slowly heat up the concrete, it actually becomes a warm shell around you and then it’s the same temperature all year round.” This keeps heating costs relatively low.
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Blend in with the environment
In the outdoor area, use is made of the original construction of the fort. The grassy ramparts surrounding the site provide shelter for the sauna guests, while also ensuring that the complex still looks almost as it did from the outside.
People are also swimming in the moat around the fort. These are no longer soldiers who also used such a dive to wash themselves. There were no showers at that time. Now it is guests who cool down there as part of their sauna visit. The luxury of continuous hot water to relax in is perhaps the biggest contrast with the past.
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If you would like to know more about this subject, you can do so on the website Dutch Waterlines
Along the Dutch Waterlines consists of 12 episodes and is a collaboration between the regional broadcasters NH, RTV Utrecht, Omroep Gelderland and Omroep Brabant.
The series was made possible by: Hoogheemraadschap De Stichtse Rijnlanden, Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier, Waterschap Amstel, Gooi en Vecht, Waterschap Rivierenland, Province of North Holland, Province of Utrecht, Province of Gelderland and Province of North Brabant.