Studio Roosegaarde’s Gates of Light for the Netherlands

Part of a trio of installations erected to celebrate the 32-kilometer-long dike called the Afsluitdijk.

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A view of the Afsluitdijk.

©Ossip

A view of the Afsluitdijk.

This story was originally published in Architectural Lighting.

To protect itself from flooding, the Netherlands is guarded by a 32-kilometer-long (19.8-mile-long) dike called the Afsluitdijk. Completed in 1932, it is one of the country’s engineering feats. Now, the government, at both national and local levels, has united in “an ambitious programme to protect and safeguard” its future.

A rendering of the proposed Gates of Light installation on the Afsluitdijk.

Studio Roosegaarde

A rendering of the proposed Gates of Light installation on the Afsluitdijk.

To celebrate the unique infrastructure, Rotterdam-based Studio Roosegaarde has designed a trio of interactive lighting installations. Titled Icoon Afsluitdijk, the series is comprised of Gates of Light, Windvogel, and Glowing Nature. Gates of Light (shown) is inspired by the reflective qualities of a butterfly’s wings. Each of the dike’s fully restored 60 floodgates has been treated with a reflective layer that illuminates when activated by a passing car’s headlamps. All three installations can be viewed Nov. 17 to Jan. 21, 2018, at sunset.

Daytime view of the floodgates on the Afsluitdijk in the Netherlands.

©Ossip

Daytime view of the floodgates on the Afsluitdijk in the Netherlands.

To read more stories like this, visit Architectural Lighting.

About the Author

Elizabeth Donoff

Elizabeth Donoff is Editor-at-Large of Architectural Lighting (AL). She served as Editor-in-Chief from 2006 to 2017. She joined the editorial team in 2003 and is a leading voice in the lighting community speaking at industry events such as Lightfair and the International Association of Lighting Designers Annual Enlighten Conference, and has twice served as a judge for the Illuminating Engineering Society New York City Section’s (IESNYC) Lumen Award program. In 2009, she received the Brilliance Award from the IESNYC for dedicated service and contribution to the New York City lighting community. Over the past 11 years, under her editorial direction, Architectural Lighting has received a number of prestigious B2B journalism awards. In 2017, Architectural Lighting was a Top Ten Finalist for Magazine of the Year from the American Society of Business Publication Editors' AZBEE Awards. In 2016, Donoff received the Jesse H. Neal Award for her Editor’s Comments in the category of Best Commentary/Blog, and in 2015, AL received a Jesse H. Neal Award for Best Media Brand (Overall Editorial Excellence).Prior to her entry into design journalism, Donoff worked in New York City architectural offices including FXFowle where she was part of the project teams for the Reuters Building at Three Times Square and the New York Times Headquarters. She is a graduate of Bates College in Lewiston, Me., and she earned her Master of Architecture degree from the School of Architecture at Washington University in St. Louis.

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