The city sqaure of Amstelveen, Stadsplein Amstelveen, is being renewed into a green and vibrant meeting place.

The new plans make space for relaxation and events. A work of art will also be given a prominent place. Three artists have created a draft design, among which Frank Ammerlaan, and now you can choose which artwork will be placed on the new square here. 

From 10 December 2025 to 4 January 2026, you can vote for one of the three designs.

About Frank Ammerlaan's design:

Frank Ammerlaan wants to create an artwork for the Stadsplein that is "alive”. He designed two glass sculptures containing antique objects made of uranium glass. During the day they look like ordinary vases, bowls, and glasses, but in the evening they gain a mysterious green glow when ultraviolet light illuminates the uranium. It is as if the artwork comes to life.

The project consists of two parts: a sculpture on the square and a work integrated into the façade of the cultural strip. This creates a clear connection between the square and the building.

Ammerlaan was inspired by the cosmos. Uranium was formed long ago in the explosion of a star. He finds it remarkable that this primal force now becomes visible as light on the square. At the same time, he points out a contradiction: the more artificial light we use in the city, the less we can see the stars. His artwork aims to make that vast cosmic history tangible again.

The glass objects come from private collections and were once everyday household items. The display cases resemble shop windows, but the objects inside are not for sale. Frank wants to show how we keep buying and throwing away more things. In the middle of a shopping district, he invites us to reflect on this.

 

Frank Ammerlaan is an artist who works with a wide range of materials, from metals to textiles and even cosmic particles. In his work, he explores how materials change and what those changes reveal about our world and the universe.

He has a background as a furniture maker and later studied at art academies in Amsterdam and London. His technical knowledge helps him create artworks that are strongly connected to their surroundings. He often discovers the form of a work within the material itself, resulting in art that is both poetic and precise.

 

 

Watch a video about the artwork, explained by the artist, here. 

Vote for Frank Ammerlaan's submission here. You can vote until 4 January!

You can also vote at the Stadsplein using voting cards. These can be collected and submitted at the art mailboxes located at Boekhandel Venstra and at the entrance of Stadshart Amstelveen (near the Bijenkorf, opposite the elevator). Residents living around the Stadshart have received a voting card in their mailbox. In addition, art postman Maarten Nico will be present at the Stadshart on 14, 19, 20, and 21 December to personally collect voting cards.

 

Publication date: 10 Dec '25