A New Landmark on the Windesheim Campus

In 2019, Mothership, commissioned by the Municipality of Zwolle and in collaboration with Henk Snel, developed the concept for Het Engelenpad. Designed to connect Zwolle’s historic city centre, the railway district and the IJssel riverfront, the initiative led, among other things, to the realization of the Passerelle: a pedestrian and bicycle bridge that meanders above the railway tracks at Zwolle Central Station. Beyond the railway district, situated between the city centre and the IJssel riverbanks, lies the Windesheim University of Applied Sciences campus, where Mothership embarked on a special project in 2021.

As part of Windesheim’s ambition to innovate and inspire, space was reserved for a public artwork that could enrich the campus environment. The objective was to create a work that reflected the university’s values, strengthened the campus experience as a place for meeting and exchange, and connected to the broader area development of Het Engelenpad. Mothership’s Jeroen Everaert was commissioned to investigate how the artwork could respond to the wishes and needs of students and staff.

Mothership conducted extensive site research and engaged with a wide range of Windesheim stakeholders to develop the right concept. Following the presentation of the vision, a specially appointed art committee consisting of students and university employees worked with Mothership to select artists whose practice aligned with the project’s ambitions.

Guided by Mothership, the committee ultimately selected the proposal by artist Yasser Ballemans: MicroKosmos. Comprising nine sculptural forms, the artwork symbolizes the vibrant energy of the campus and draws inspiration from the microalgae that inhabit the waters of the River IJssel.

Reaching heights of up to six metres, the sculptures were produced from recycled PET-G and 3D printed in collaboration with Colossus Printers. The application of coloured semi-transparent recycled plastic in an outdoor public setting was unprecedented and required extensive research. Together with Colossus and Hasselt University, Mothership investigated the material’s possibilities under the guidance of Windesheim’s Chair of Plastics Technology. The plastic structures are supported by steel frameworks manufactured by Wilwy, while lighting designer Lichtpunt developed a bespoke illumination plan that subtly enhances the sculptures after dark.