Light design in Zutphen NL by Herman Kuijer

The Netherlands is home to a long tradition of contemporary art in public spaces and the latest two installations by light designer Herman Kuijer in Zutphen are a spectacular example of this, improving use of the infrastructures with the bright spark of art.



The township of Zutphen sits on the banks of the river Ijssel in the province of Gelderland, famous for its glorious past in the Hanseatic League medieval trade alliance; so it has a great historical heritage as well as attracting both locals and other tourists from across the Dutch borders.





This is the urban context for the latest two installations by light designer Herman Kuijer commissioned by ProRail, government task organisation for the Dutch railway network, and the city of Zutphen. These artistic lighting installations are located in two different railway underpasses - the Marstunnel, designed by Mari Baauw with Herman Kuijer for motorised traffic, and the Kostverloren Tunnel by architects Maurer United, for people and bicycles. These infrastructures are links between crucial points of the city.  





As we know, underpasses are typical non-places, and it's hard to feel completely at ease there, particularly if you're walking or cycling.
But in The Netherlands, where they are quite “well-lit” thanks to site-specific art installations like those of Herman Kuijer, the aim is to improve the quality of the public domain because authorities are aware of how important safe, sustainable access is and its function in terms of “user experience” and the general impression of the public. The art of Herman Kuijer does just that, lighting up these underpasses with a progression of light and colour that follows the movement of the water from the nearby river indirectly referencing the principle of “panta rei”.



In these two underpasses, where everything flows - bikes, pedestrians and cars - people become part of a constantly evolving artwork and enjoy a special experience where the artistic dimension improves our perception of the place and our wellbeing as users of the city! 

Christiane Bürklein

Urban design: KCAP Architects and Planners (designers urban plan Noorderhaven
Public space design: Lodewijk Baljon landscape architects (in collaboration with KCAP Architects and Planners) 
Architect Mars Tunnel Underpass: Mari Baauw, Railinfra Solutions 
Underpass Kostverloren: architect Marc Maurer, Maurer United Architects 
Artist: Herman Kuijer (light art in the two underpasses) 
Zutphen Art Committee: Jan Samson, Jan van IJzendoorn