The Netherlands is man-made. In cities, polders, land development, even in natural areas, the organizing human hand is visible. Planning is as unique as it is famous. This book describes the intriguing history of the spatial planning of the Netherlands, from the late Middle Ages to the present. Where did the strong tendency to order and plan come from? Those thousands of plans, did they always go well? Or did the planners and urban planners sometimes get it wrong? From Amsterdam's ring of canals to the highway network to the North East Polder, the Netherlands is constantly being rebuilt and renewed. The country is never finished. This fully updated book offers insight into the culture and development of urban and regional planning in the Netherlands. An indispensable textbook for planners, urban planners, geographers, administrators and practitioners.