Sense of Belonging

The tiny Dutch town of Oranje has witnessed some radical population changes over the past century. From the early canal diggers, to potato factory workers, imprisoned wartime labourers and 1990s holidaymakers, each group has had a unique impact on the hamlet. The same is true of the most recent arrivals: Syrian refugees.
In the research phase of the project, Sonja de Boer developed an analytical model charting how history, personal experiences and emotions charge a place with meaning. In that sense, place is much more than architecture or geographical location – it is also largely defined by people and history. Resulting from the design phase, her illustrations reflect the highly different subjective perspectives shaping the dynamic history of the same town.