Sheepfold, Bargerveen

The sheepfold in Bargerveen is the biggest sheepfold in the Netherlands. Along with the province Drenthe and Staatsbosbeheer as the clients, an extraordinary ensemble is created. The project is exemplary due to the materials being from local origin, as biobased as possible and remontable. Bargerveen is a protected landscape situated between Emmen and the German border. This is a high peat reserve where the aim is to preserve and restore the existing peat. The Bargerveen is permanently managed by a shepherd with a herd of nearly 1000 sheep and 80 cattle. King Willem-Alexander (NL) has officially opened the sheepfold in September 2018.

The project contributes to the goal to combat climate change and its impacts. This is done by using the current height differences of the terrain to form the contours of the new plan. In the old situation the sheepfold was situated in a buffer zone and was increasingly affected by flooding. This is due to the increasing need for waterlogging to preserve the peat. Therefore the sheepfold needed to be moved. In the new plan the lower parts will be used to manage the water and the higher parts will be used for the buildings, roads and paths. The way the water is managed in the new situation, ensures the preserving and restoring of the existing peat. In the buildings and the landscape, maximum use has been made of the biobased materials.

The ensemble is built by a local contractor and with local and biobased materials. A minimalized transport distance is a way to combat toxic emissions. The building components are easily disassembled, making sure the materials can be re-used. All of the used wood has originated from the local forests owned by Staatsbosbeheer. The paving and stone facades are made from boulders that originate from the areas owned by Staatsbosbeheer. And the solar panels incorporated on the roofs makes it an energy producing ensemble.