Forest Reflections

Honor Award 2025

Gaasbeek and Groenenberg parks sit side by side, each with its own character. Gaasbeek is known for its historic buildings, while Groenenberg showcases diverse plant life. Our challenge was to create a wayfinding system that would unite these different spaces while respecting what makes each special. “Forest Reflections” Capturing the changing seasons, showing autumn colors in fall and fresh greens in spring. Creating a touch of magic in the forest setting. Blending in and standing out, the slender totems with mirrored sides that reflect the surrounding nature.

Agency

Mijksenaar

Practice Area

Wayfinding

Client

Government of Flanders

Industry

Recreation

The Challenge

Another challenge was to create a system that meets the needs of two main stakeholders: Agentschap van Natuur en Bos (Department of Forestry) and the Castle of Gaasbeek.

And Creating a world class result with very limited resources in material, time and budget.

Project Vision

As wayfinding experts Mijksenaar has a mission to make things more contextual, connected, consistent and clear.

With the ONE design principle we created a well balanced wayfinding solution, acknowledging a user centric approach by connecting people with the Gaasbeek and Groenenberg parks.

Embracing ONE, Orientation, navigation and experience:

Orientation
Creating legible spatial surroundings and intuitive personal journeys, empowering people to navigate confidently and fluently.

Navigation
Syncing physical information with the landscape, with the beauty of simplicity and the nobility of function.

Experience
Integrating placemaking and identity to transform generic journeys into intuitive experiences, connecting people with places and spaces.

Peoples journeys across various spaces and places are very different and so are their wayfinding needs. In the Gaasbeek and Groenenberg parks this means to enhance the visitors experience while they are navigating through the park on their way to the castle, museum garden or to guide them to ‘the other park’.

This resulted in the concept “Forest Reflections”. The wayfinding adds value by mirroring the surroundings, whether it is the forest of Gaasbeek, the landscape garden of Groenenberg or the iconic buildings on the terrain.