Veenkoloniën

'VeenKoloniën' (translated from Dutch, the peat colonies), is an anniversary project for the 400 year old peat region in Groningen and Drenthe in the Netherlands. In abstract visuals the app presents the huge, currently partly lost canal system.

The app is GPS and compass driven. By moving around, the user can experience the geometry of this artificial landscape. The app adds animated infographics of the transport data of the ships. A layer of static markers has been added with information about locations. At launch of the app, the information will be restricted to the area of Stadskanaal. Further research will result in information of more area's to be added. Students and schools will be doing projects to add information, create walking routes, etc. aiming to educationally interact with the region.

User within and around Stadskanaal kan wander using the GPS functionality. When outside of the region, users will be virtually pinned in the center of Stadskanaal, to get an impression of the app.

The app has been designed as hommage to the history of abstract art in the Netherlands as well as the Dutch abstract landscape.

The 'Streekhistorische Centrum' (the regional historical center) in Stadskanaal initiated a celebrational event in 2015, recollecting 250 years of Stadskanaal and 400 years of the 'Semslinie'. This app was developed on invitation of the 250 / 400 foundation.

The app is in the Dutch language.