Cowborgs in the polder: how the design of farm buildings, animal bodies and technologies transformed Dutch dairy landscapes

Automated technologies have driven the transformation and growth of the Dutch dairy industry. Today, this sector is questioned for its adverse effect on nature. To better address environmental problems caused by farming, it is important to understand how the use of automation in this sector is affecting those places where food is produced. This transdisciplinary research study will examine the interactions between animals, humans, robots, data technologies, and farm architecture in the industrialized large-scale Dutch dairy landscapes, from 1992 to the nitrogen crisis. Ultimately, the project will broaden our conception of how technology and industrial capitalism shape the built environment.