STINSPARK | Stinspark

What is now Stinspark in the Westenholte neighbourhood near Zwolle, there was an imposing castle in the 13th and 14th centuries: Voorst Castle. The castle was owned by the Lords of Voorst, an influential noble family. The Lords of Voorst pursued an independent course between “Het Sticht” and “Het Oversticht”, which led to conflicts with the Bishop of Utrecht and surrounding cities such as Zwolle, Deventer and Kampen.
In the mid-14th century, the castle was besieged, conquered and razed to the ground, and was never rebuilt. The stones from the castle were reused for buildings in the surrounding area. One of the castle gates was taken to Kampen, where it can still be seen in the town hall.

For a long time, the former castle site was marked in the topography by a striking “onion shape”. This shape has remained recognisable in the landscape over the centuries, even when the Westenholte neighbourhood was developed in the 1980s. The “onion” was preserved as an open space, a park: the Stinspark. Until recently, the park only referred to its illustrious history in name, but from 2025 onwards, the Stinspark will do justice to its status as an archaeological monument.

In collaboration with the Strootman landscape Architects, a design has been created that consists of several concentric layers:
• An outer layer is a partially widened moat that turns the park into an island accessible only via a few bridges and dams.
• The second layer is a densely planted strip, a “home garden”, which partially hides the castle from view and arouses curiosity.
• The third layer is a “dry moat”, an open space that is intended to represent the original moat surrounding the castle. In this open space are two earthen mounds, a circular hill in the centre with the main castle on top and a rectangular shape representing the outer bailey. The composition is inspired by the archaeological map drawings.

The main castle is represented by transparent palisades in concentric circles that together form a complex maze. Mirrors reinforce the sensation of disorientation. The transparency of the palisades makes the whole structure appear ethereal, like a mirage: more air than matter. The castle invites you to enter it, wander and play: a meeting place and monument all in one.