Project Details
Description
This research aims to create insight into one of the most impactful modern energy transitions, namely the Dutch transition to gas, specifically focussing on the spatial implications that this has had on the Dutch living environment. The Dutch gas history has not been extensively researched, but a foundation has been laid, mostly by historians of technology and economy. To further our understanding, this research examines the roots of the introduction of gas (from coal) within the European context. For example, preliminary research showed that the production of gas in parts of the Netherlands was operated by an English utility company founded in 1824, called the Imperial Continental Gas Association.
Spatial implications of the introduction of gas are not to be underestimated. From the establishment of gas factories in Dutch cities and the introduction of gas into the home, to the discovery of a natural gas field in Slochteren in 1959. The latter has had considerable spatial, economic, social, and political effects, as detailed in the recent report of by the parliamentary committee of inquiry into natural gas extraction in Groningen (2023). The impact of gas is traceable on every scale level, from urban planning to housing and design. When considering its effects, it is necessary to understand the spatial history of the gas transition in a European context. This interdisciplinary research will therefore aim to research the introduction of gas in the Netherlands by asking the question: what were the spatial implications of the introduction of gas, its exploitation and commodification in the Netherlands? The interdisciplinary character will consist of making use of architectural history, cultural history, the study of visual culture, urban sociology, and technical history.
This research is funded through a starter's grant (2023-2028)
Spatial implications of the introduction of gas are not to be underestimated. From the establishment of gas factories in Dutch cities and the introduction of gas into the home, to the discovery of a natural gas field in Slochteren in 1959. The latter has had considerable spatial, economic, social, and political effects, as detailed in the recent report of by the parliamentary committee of inquiry into natural gas extraction in Groningen (2023). The impact of gas is traceable on every scale level, from urban planning to housing and design. When considering its effects, it is necessary to understand the spatial history of the gas transition in a European context. This interdisciplinary research will therefore aim to research the introduction of gas in the Netherlands by asking the question: what were the spatial implications of the introduction of gas, its exploitation and commodification in the Netherlands? The interdisciplinary character will consist of making use of architectural history, cultural history, the study of visual culture, urban sociology, and technical history.
This research is funded through a starter's grant (2023-2028)
| Short title | The Architecture of Gas (1810-2023) |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Effective start/end date | 1/09/23 → 31/08/28 |