We began today by taking the bus from the University of Twente, on the outskirts of Enschede, to the city center. Once we arrived, we met with a representative from the municipality who led us on a tour of the city center discussing with us the engineering and sustainable design that went into some of the infrastructure in the area.
Enschede is one of a few towns in the Netherlands that sits on a slope of significant merit. This causes significant issues for the town when it comes to runoff, stormwater, and sewage water management. In order to prevent major flooding events, the municipality has installed specific drainage and water control systems to reduce the impact of water accumulation. This infrastructure has been particularly important in recent years as climate change has driven larger and more impactful rain events.
The municipality installed a system of swails and drainage ditches throughout the city that help to catch and store water. Unlike systems in other areas which act to just funnel water, the system in Enschede is constructed to specifically allow for water to flow directly into the ground water supply. The municipality’s goal is to keep water where it falls. By creating basins that hold the water long enough for it to enter the ground water, runoff that would risk flooding lower areas of the region is prevented.
On a more cultural note, the campus of the University of Twente was very busy today due to an event called the Batavierenrace which is the largest relay race in the world. The race stretches 175km from Radboud University in Nijmegen Germany to the University of Twente. 300 teams participate in the event with each team being comprised of 25 people. This year was the 54th year of the event. Thousands of students and visitors gather to watch the conclusion of the race on the campus of UT, and the final runners often wear outfits reflecting their team for this final stage of the race.
Following the conclusion of the race, a large party is held called the Batavierenfeest which is attended by more than 11,000 people. The event is held on the campus of UT where two large performance tents are constructed; one houses a DJ who performs EDM and House music and the other contains a live band. Any available open space on the campus is covered with tents as attendees spend the entire weekend socializing and partying before the event. Halfway through the event, the winners of the race are honored, and then the party continues on until 2am. It was a very interesting experience that is unlike anything I have seen on an American university campus.
