Veenweide Atelier

a nature laboratory for eco-social design

The Frisian peatlands have always been in motion – a living landscape shaped by people and nature over generations. As the land was drained for agriculture, the soil compacted and the ground sank. Today, we face the challenge of restoring balance. How do we care for this landscape – for now and for the future?

The Veenweide Atelier is a space for exploration. Here, artists and designers investigate sustainable materials, new agricultural methods, and ways to engage with the land that honour both nature and culture. What if grass, cattails and bacteria become the building blocks of a new economy? How do we build and live in harmony with the peat soil beneath our feet? Over the past years, under the guidance of eco-social designer Henriette Waal, the Veenweide Atelier has become a testing ground. Designers and artists have experimented with materials, farming methods, and design concepts to meet the needs of a transforming landscape. From 24 May to 26 October 2025, the exhibition Veenweide Atelier: Designing for a Sunken Marshland shows how art and design can shape the future of the Frisian landscape. With material innovations, interactive installations and imaginative works of art, visitors are invited into a new story – one of creativity, possibility and connection.

In 2025, one of the key locations will be It Kathûs, a historic farmstead nestled in the Frisian countryside. Together with nature conservation organisation It Fryske Gea, we are rethinking its future – creating a space where nature, culture and experimentation meet. It Kathûs becomes a new kind of heritage: a living place for transformation. Read more about It Kathûs and other initiatives further down this page.

peat meadow assembly

On 24 January 2024, Veenweide Atelier hosted the first Feangreide Beraad (Peat Meadow Assembly), a deep-dive gathering with designers and experts in water, soil, grass, and regional development. This meeting marked the conclusion of a full year of research by design in the Frisian peat meadow region.
You can read the full report below.

The exhibition Veenweide Atelier was created in collaboration with the Fries Museum