Sonja de Boer

Department: Information Design
Website: www.sonnebon.com

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.