Daan Roosegaarde. Gates of Light. Windvogel. Glowing Nature. 2017.
Installations by Studio Roosegaarde.
"The new futuristic entrance of the dike GATES OF LIGHT brings the 60 monumental floodgates of 1932 back to their former glory. Every day 20.000 cars pass by. The structures, which were originally designed by Dirk Roosenburg, the grandfather of Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, have been fully restored and augmented with a retro-reflective layer. In the dark, the architecture of these structures is illuminated by the headlamps of passing cars, reflecting the light through small prisms. If there are no cars on the road, the structures are not illuminated. This way of using light requires zero energy and does not contribute to light pollution. It will be accompanied by the installation of WINDVOGEL, energy generating kites, and GLOWING NATURE, immersive bioluminescent algae placed in a historical bunker.
The Afsluitdijk is the 32 kilometer long dike which protects the Netherlands against water and flooding. Built mostly by hand and realized in 1932 it is an engineering highlight of the Netherlands and a unique place in the world. After 85 years, the Afsluitdijk is now in need of a thorough renovation. The Dutch state with the surrounding municipalities and provinces have joined forces to lead an ambitious programme to protect the future of the dike. As part of the programme, Roosegaarde's ICOON AFSLUITDIJK enhances the iconic status of the Afsluitdijk with a layer of light and interaction."