For Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park, Mothership created the Travelling Roe Deer: an artwork based on circular design principles 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 Roe Deer was unveiled on Monday 20 July by Alderman Thom Kraanen. Nestled between a tree and a shrub, it overlooks the station square. Those who come closer discover a place to sit and a QR code inviting them to explore nature by train. A day out in nature begins the moment you step outside the station, before you even reach the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. This was precisely the ambition of Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park: to make the train journey part of the experience of nature and establish Amersfoort Centraal station as a natural starting point for a sustainable visit to the landscape.

Circular materials
The Travelling Roe Deer is made from reclaimed steel road plates that provided temporary access for heavy construction vehicles during the redevelopment of Amersfoort Centraal station. These plates, which would normally disappear from view once the work was finished, were given a new purpose.

The signs of wear have deliberately been left visible. Both the Roe Deer’s story and the materials used to create it contribute to sustainability. Here, circularity is not a message on a sign, but part of the design itself.

An artwork that keeps travelling
Although the Roe Deer has now found its first stop at Amersfoort Centraal station, its journey has only just begun. The artwork was designed as a travelling landmark. After its stay in Amersfoort, it will move to other locations around the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, where it will once again invite visitors 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 are encouraging visitors to explore the natural surroundings of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug sustainably. The Public Transport Roe Deer helps us do just that in a playful way!” says Jeroen Heemsbergen, Programme Manager at Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park.

Commissioned by: Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park
Partners: Municipality of Amersfoort, Dutch Railways (NS), ProRail and Interreg North-West Europe (MONA)
Concept, design & realisation: Mothership, Esbi Reclame and Vincent Petit.