The End of Executions

Project origin

This project began in collaboration with Centre Céramique, who wanted to bring Maastricht’s rich history to life in a way that would truly engage tourists. The idea was to create an experience that was both informative and immersive—allowing visitors to explore the city while uncovering one of its most compelling historical stories. The goal? Help people discover Maastricht not just through facts, but through storytelling that connects them to the past in a meaningful way.

Concept & Research

To find a powerful story, I dove into local history and discovered that Maastricht was one of the first Dutch cities to outlaw executions. This dramatic shift, rooted in the 18th century, became the heart of the project.



I began by researching historic events, visiting Maastricht’s historical library to gather real articles and documents. I also explored key locations tied to the story—walking the route, taking photos, and noting the significance of each place. With this information, I built a full narrative and wrote the script that would guide users along the walking route.

Bringing the Story to Life

Once the script was ready, I hired a voice actor through Fiverr to record the audio fragments. I worked closely with them—giving feedback and fine-tuning the tone—to make sure each part felt immersive and authentic. To deepen the experience, I layered in background sounds like horse hooves, crowds, and ambient street noise, creating a richer soundscape that helps listeners feel like they’re really there.

The Result

With the story complete, I moved on to designing the app. I wanted to combine an old-world feel with a clean, modern interface—something that reflected the past while remaining user-friendly for today’s tourists. I began with a wireframe in Axure RP, then developed a detailed visual design and working prototype. You can visit the prototype made in Axure here.

 

 

The app functions like a historical walking tour with a built-in GPS guide. As users walk through Maastricht, the next part of the story automatically plays when they reach specific locations—keeping the interaction minimal so the focus stays on the city and the story.

 

The final product is a high-fidelity prototype of a mobile storytelling app that merges history, technology, and design. It invites tourists to step into the past, follow a route through Maastricht, and hear the powerful story of how public executions came to an end—right where it all happened.

 

The first audio-file of the story

You can find the rest of the playlist here.