Colonies of Benevolence

Welcome to this extraordinary landscape, an open-air archive of a grand and controversial social experiment. We are standing in the heart of the Colonies of Benevolence, specifically the formidable grounds of Veenhuizen. …

As we begin our walk through the colony, I draw your attention to the very ground beneath our feet and the lines that cut through the horizon. You are standing within the famous orthogonal system, a defining characteristic of the…

We have arrived at a modest yet historically monumental structure: the very first school building of the colony. Stand before its weathered brick facade and consider the profound significance of this small edifice. …

As we approach this massive, imposing structure, we are looking at the exterior of what was known as Veenhuizen One. This colossal building, the construction of which began around eighteen twenty-four, was fundamentally designed…

We are now standing beside a crucial, chilling architectural feature of the Veenhuizen complex: the great separation wall. Notice how this formidable barrier slices through the landscape, dictating the flow of movement and the…

We have now passed through the boundary and stand within the footprint of the inner complex, the site of the vast dormitories, or slaapzalen. Close your eyes and attempt to visualize the staggering human density that once defined…

As we walk further into the colony, the austere brick facade of the local church comes into view. Unlike the dormitories and the schoolhouses which were built immediately, the churches were added to the colony landscape slightly…

Our walking tour brings us now to a building that encapsulates the complex duality of the Colonies of Benevolence: the Old Sanatorium. Today, as you can see, this elegant historical building has been thoughtfully adaptively…

We have come to the end of our journey through the rigid avenues and imposing architecture of the Colonies of Benevolence. We have walked the line between utopian ideals and carceral realities. …