Façade Art & Urban Design

For National Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug, Mothership developed the Travelling OV-Ree: a circular artwork that invites train passengers to discover the Utrechtse Heuvelrug in a different way. Not through an information board or a campaign, but through an encounter.

The OV-Ree was unveiled on Monday 20 July by alderman Thom Kraanen Hidden between a tree and a shrub, it looks out over the station square. Those who come closer will discover a seat and a QR code inviting them to experience nature by train. This means the recreational visit does not begin only upon reaching the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, but from the moment you step out of the station. That was precisely the ambition of National Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug: to make the train journey part of the experience of nature and to establish Amersfoort Central Station as a natural starting point for a sustainable visit to the landscape.

Circular material
The Travelling OV-Ree is made from old steel road plates that were used as a temporary surface for heavy construction traffic during the redevelopment of Amersfoort Central Station. Rather than disappearing from view once their original purpose had been served, these plates were given a new life.

The traces of use have deliberately been left visible. This means that sustainability is reflected not only in the story of the OV-Ree, but also in the material from which the artwork itself is made. Here, circularity is not a message on a sign, but an integral part of the design.

An artwork that keeps travelling
Although the OV-Ree has now found its first stop at Amersfoort Central Station, this is only the beginning of its journey. The artwork was designed as a travelling landmark. After its stay in Amersfoort, the OV-Ree will move to other locations around the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, where it will once again invite travellers to discover nature by public transport. In this way, a single artwork becomes a recognisable ambassador for sustainable mobility and experiencing nature.

“It is wonderful that, together with the Municipality of Amersfoort, we can encourage visitors to explore the natural environment of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug in a sustainable way. The OV-Ree helps us do this in a playful way!” says Jeroen Heemsbergen, Programme Manager at National Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug.

Client:: Nationaal Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug
Partners: Gemeente Amersfoort, Nederlandse Spoorwegen, ProRail and Interreg North-West Europe (MONA)
Concept, design & realisation: Mothership, Esbi Reclame and Vincent Petit.