What the makers were already afraid of, came true last night: the large cardboard windmill on Purmerendse Koemarkt that had been placed there for the Reuring festival has collapsed due to the rain. Nanda Haverkort, marketing manager of the organization, is especially sorry for all the children who helped last week.
The mill was designed by the French artist Olivier Grossetête, who is known for his large structures made of cardboard† The intention is for many people to help build these works, and according to Haverkort they have certainly succeeded. “Children have been working all week and last night people were taken from terraces to build a layer under it.” Eventually the mill was about 20 meters high, including the blades.
Last night it went well for a while before it started to rain. According to the marketing manager and co-builder, many people have enjoyed the cardboard. “At first, children could still play in it, and later the nightlife public was also able to see the mill,” she says. “It was still there until about 1 am last night.”
“It remains a cardboard mill”
Because the bad weather was already a bit coming, the mill was protected with plastic. “But you are not going to climb in it if it is 18 meters high,” says Haverkort. Later, the building was reinforced a bit, but to no avail. “It remains a cardboard mill. That is the Dutch weather.”
Text continues below the photo of the cardboard church.
She says that many people are sorry that the mill has collapsed, she herself is especially sorry for the children who worked on it all week. “They have helped a lot, for them that is quite a bit sour.”
The mill was supposed to remain standing until 5 pm this afternoon, but the cardboard was collected by the waste manager around noon. “Then it will be nicely separated.”
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