herman kuijer infills two tunnels in zutphen with immersive light works

herman kuijer infills two tunnels in zutphen with immersive light works
photography by jannes linders

uniting the fields of architecture and art, dutch designer herman kuijer has revealed two luminous installations for the historical town of zutphen in the netherlands. situated at two different underpasses, linking a newly developed area with the traditional town center, these site-specific, permanent light installations take on physical form through colorful luminescent hues projected onto a concrete supporting structure. ‘it was a great challenge to work in this specific urban context where aesthetics are paired with accessibility and the safety of the user,’ kuijer says. ‘my task was to create a sustainable work to allow people to pass safely through and also experience the aesthetic quality of the light. improving the public domain is a continuous challenge in the netherlands.’

shades of blue, yellow and red light slowly shift in hue as time passes 

the gradation of light and color across both the marstunnel and kostverloren underpasses mimics the movement of nearby water, subtly changing in hue as time passes. beneath the cavernous glow, motorists, cyclists and pedestrians can experience the relationship between time and space, prompting them to interact with an ever-changing environment. as light moves and floats across the architectural surfaces — just as a water current traverses across a flat surface — visitors are reminded that they are standing at a place that, without man’s intervention, would be underwater. 

light moves and floats across the architectural surfaces

the luminous installations are set within the historical town of zutphen in the netherlands

motorists, cyclists and pedestrians can experience the relationship between time and space

the changing light mimics the movement of nearby water, subtly shifting in hue as time passes

pink and blue light is projected onto the architectural beams overhead 

aesthetics are paired with accessibility and the safety of the user

the light bathes the underpass in a vibrant chroma 

the second tunnel sees light pass over a stacked network of architectural beams 

the underpass is used for non-motorized traffic, meant for pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy 

the artist sees the light works as a metaphor for life and the interplay between chance and order