The story

In the historic city of Zutphen, architecture, art and technology come together in a unique way. Dutch designer Herman Kuijer created two light installations in underpasses that connect a newly developed neighbourhood with the old city centre. As a result, the tunnels are not only functional connections, but transform into colourful, dynamic works of art in the evening.

The lighting needed to be not only aesthetically pleasing, but also safe. For example, excessive use of red light had to be avoided, as it could affect the recognition of the traffic situation.To translate these requirements into a practical solution, OneEightyOne developed its own color algorithm. A script was created to calculate, for each render or scene, the maximum percentage of red light that could be used.

This resulted in a system that brings together the artist’s creative freedom and the practical requirements of the surrounding environment. During the day, the underpasses primarily serves a functional purpose, while in the evening they take on an entirely new identity.