Heerlen, once the vibrant heart of the mining industry, is on the brink of a new future. After decades of searching for a new identity, the city and its residents are working together to create a fresh profile. With a clear vision and joint effort, Heerlen is becoming a city that people can once again be proud of and choose to live in.
The Challenge
Heerlen, a city with a rich mining history, has been undergoing a powerful transformation. After the mines closed in the 1970s, the city faced an identity crisis. Now, nearly fifty years later, Heerlen is on the verge of a revival. In July 2024, De Volkskrant headlined, “Heerlen is working on its renaissance.” The sense of optimism is palpable, but the city still struggles with a stubborn image that doesn’t reflect its true potential.
The key question was: how can we position Heerlen in an authentic and distinctive way, so that more people consciously choose the city as a place to live, work, start businesses, and enjoy recreation?
The Approach
To address this, we worked intensively with the municipality of Heerlen and a wide range of stakeholders from the city—local entrepreneurs, cultural and knowledge institutions, and more. Through a series of co-creative sessions, we gathered ideas, stories, and insights that were vital to capturing Heerlen’s essence. This process was a dynamic collaboration, where every voice was heard.
The result of this project is encapsulated in the Urban Canvas Heerlen, a living document that forms the core of the city’s place brand and evolves over time. It is based on five core values that reflect Heerlen’s unique identity. Together with a clear brand promise and vision for the future, these values form the foundation for all decisions related to branding, design, and city promotion.
The Outcome
Heerlen’s place brand is much more than a slogan. It’s a strategic positioning that comes to life through action—’branding by doing.’ Whether it’s stories, events, infrastructure, or partnerships, everything aligns with the city’s core values. This ensures that Heerlen can grow in a consistent and powerful way, both within the city itself and in how it’s perceived from the outside.
The ambition is to create a city that residents feel proud of, one that attracts new residents and businesses. Heerlen is now seen as a city with potential, where innovation, collaboration, and experimentation are central. There is also a strong desire to establish a new, wide-ranging organization responsible for city branding and marketing. This organization will not only unite the strengths of the municipality, businesses, and cultural institutions but will also provide a solid foundation for Heerlen’s future growth.
What makes this project truly special is that it’s not just about defining core values and stories. It’s about how the city will bring these stories to life through its residents, entrepreneurs, and civil servants. The real difference lies in the power of collaboration. This is the essence of ‘branding by doing,’ and soon, there will be an organization dedicated to connecting and driving this vision forward with full commitment.
