Geometric Landscaping at Airport Halves Noise Levels & Doubles as Public Park

Inspired by the past, informed by science, a Dutch land artist has created a space that effectively dampens noise for those living near a busy airport.

Two years ago, Dutch land artist Paul de Kort was given a tough brief. Administrators at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) had long been looking to address the levels of aircraft noise that affected those living near the airport. Taking inspiration from the ground, de Kort created a landscape that has had a significant effect on dampening the roar of planes for those living near one of the world’s busiest airports.

But long before de Kort broke ground, researchers from the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) had already been studying the noise level at AMS. They noticed that in the fall, after the fields surrounding the airport had been plowed, noise levels decreased significantly. It turns out that the furrows created by plowing helped to absorb, deflect and mute aircraft noise.

Working off these findings, de Kort collaborated with architectural firm H+N+S Lanscapearchitects and scientists from the TNO to create Buitenschot Land Art Park.

Located to the southwest of AMS, just off the edge of the runway, this 80 acre green space is laid out in an interlocking system of ditches and trenches. While its primary purpose is to dampen the ground noise created by passing aircraft, the park also features bike paths, sports fields and even sculpture to create a space that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

To create this maze-like park, de Kort also drew heavily on the past and was particularly inspired by the work of Ernst Chladni, a 17^th century German physicist. The scientist’s Chladni patterns served as the inspiration for the furrows and ridges now seen at AMS .

Completed in October 2013, this collaborative project has been viewed as a renowned success. As Smithsonian‘s Heather Hansman reported in May, the creation of Buitenschot had an immediate effect, cutting the decibel level of aircraft noise down by half.

De Kort, however, has one regret. Speaking to Hansman, he explained that, “The ground sound spreads behind the plane that’s taking off, so in fact you fly away in the other directions. You won’t be able to actually see the area from the air.”

[Photo: Schiphol Group]