Amersfoort has much to offer, with its cozy historic downtown, original stores, and beautiful museums. Now named the ‘European City of the Year’ in 2023, the Academy of Urbanism “praised the city for its high quality of life, progressive planning, and innovation while maintaining its unique heritage and character.”
Leading the Way: European City of the Year — Amersfoort, Utrecht
Client
Gemeente AmersfoortCollaboration
Van Beem & Van Haagen, VVV Tourism AssociationPhotography
Mijksenaar, Thoas Hooning van DuyvenbodeLeading the Way: European City of the Year
Amersfoort is also a highly walkable city, but the city’s districts lacked connectivity. There were few hints about the nearby downtown or the modern Eemkwartier for visitors just arriving from the train station.
Client
Gemeente AmersfoortCollaboration
Van Beem & Van Haagen, VVV Tourism AssociationPhotography
Mijksenaar, Thoas Hooning van Duyvenbode
Orientation
The municipality and the city’s entrepreneurs, cultural institutions, and hospitality owners set the goals for our project: a wayfinding system that entices visitors to explore and creates connectivity both within and between districts. We started off by analyzing these different environments: the station area as a practical means of mobility, the historic center where culture thrives, and the Eemkwartier, where modern energy abounds. Next, we designed a map to be the centerpiece of the wayfinding totems that mark important city decision points. The circular map emphasizes the districts’ proximity and connectedness and reinforces that the three districts comprise the city center. We created a recognizable meeting junction on the map by making a landmark out of a historic site, Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren.
Navigation
Since the city is split by two barriers- by road and rail- users needed a nudge to cross those physical spaces. Using those moments of separation in space, we provided the confidence that if you keep going, the next attraction is just around the corner. We also showed this by displaying the walking minutes to each location, as the city is actually truly walkable given the right information at the right time. We placed totems with maps, pointers, and ‘you are here’ signs at strategically chosen locations. These help people orient themselves, offer information about the possibilities of their journeys, and indicate in which direction destinations are located. Users shouldn’t need their phones to find places. The wayfinding eliminates doubt and encourages natural exploration.
Experience
To tie together aesthetics and function, we designed the wayfinding in the color scheme of the beautiful brick shades surrounding this historic city. The design melts into the city’s milieu, is easily visible in the environment, and reinforces Amersfoort’s identity. The experience is one of unity and connectedness, future-proof for visitors and residents alike.
We know what your city needs
To make a city vibrant, authentic, inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, many parts need to work together- and wayfinding is a crucial component.
