The oldest map of this area in the East of the Netherlands is from the 16th century. It shows a circular settlement with a church in the middle: Delden. To the north is a castle, surrounded by two moats: Twickel.

In the five centuries that followed, the village started to resemble a real town, the castle became an estate in the center of a park.

Then came the 70s. Progress meant a motorway, wedging the two. Modest as a traffic solution, but vast in its effect on the environment. Recently plans have been drawn up to downsize and refit the road. This gives the park a new lease on life.

In retrospect, almost exactly every hundred years, changes were made to the park. From Renaissance to Baroque, followed by Rococo and Romantic landscape styles. The latest of these was introduced by the German landscape architect Petzold, brought to Twickel by the last male proprietor, Baron van Heeckeren.

 

The master plan now in force aims to accommodate the park for the 21st century, with due respect for what remains or is known of the past. Only a new plan guarantees history a future.

Clusters
Characteristic for Petzold’s approach is a scattering of trees and shrubs planted in clusters on the farmlands adjacent to the estate. Conservation is self-evident, but approached freely, since the trees have grown to a monumental size.

Connection Petzold wanted, and designed, a stronger connection between the park around the house and the one across the road. Sight lines have been restored, the parking lot moved from open field into the woods and a lane from the formal period has been lengthened.

Structures
Wooden constructions like a prospect tower, temple, boathouse, fisherman’s hut and bridges are dilapidated or gone. These structures add significant touches to the grounds and have been reinstated.

Openness
Part of the woody area to the North of the main axis has been cleared to enlarge the open landscape. This creates a better equilibrium between both sides of the park. It was also Petzold’s vision, but never executed because of his untimely death.













Client
Twickel Foundation

Credits
Rob Lubrecht
Industrial designer

Helena Hoezl
Landscape architect

Smits Rinsma
Engineering

Photography
Michael van Gessel
Emilio Troncoso Larrain