Studio Roosegaarde Illuminates Historic Dutch Levee with Laser Light

You know those projects that leave you breathless? We live for them. At Versalume we continuously push the boundaries of what is possible with new lighting applications. From consumer electronics to architectural design, we're able to combine art, technology, and fiber optics. It was for this reason that Daan Roosegaarde and his team of designers and engineers collaborated with Versalume to create WINDVOGEL.

ICOON AFSLUITDIJK and WINDVOGEL

The Afsluitdijk is a 32-kilometer long levee which protects the Netherlands against water and flooding. Built mostly by hand and completed in 1932, it is considered one of the greatest engineering feats in the Netherlands. Now 85 years old, the Dutch state and surrounding municipalities and provinces have joined forces joined forces on its renovation.

As part of the renovation, famous Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde and his studio have undertaken an art project called ICOON AFSLUITDIJK that enhances the iconic status of the Afsluitdijk with a layer of light and interaction. WINDVOGEL is one of three Studio Roosegaarde designs for ICOON AFSLUITDIJK: GATES OF LIGHT, WINDVOGEL and GLOWING NATURE.

WINDVOGEL is a tribute to Dutch astronaut Wubbo Ockels who died in 2014. Ockels dreamt of producing flying conductors that were capable of generating power and staying airborne for great lengths of time. Studio Roosegaarde, the social design lab of Dutch artist and innovator Daan Roosegaarde, has made Ockels's dream a reality on the Afsluitdijk.

WINDVOGEL are energy generating kites which can create enough power to supply 200 households with green energy. These smart kites float hundreds of feet in the air tethered by ground stations, and the force created by the push and pull of the tethered cable transforms into electricity. With the specially designed luminous cables woven with laser light the kites not only generate electricity but are breathtaking. Spectacle of lines lighting up the night sky.

WINDVOGEL Collaborators

WINDVOGEL was made in collaboration with Daan Roosegaarde and his Studio Roosegaarde, Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, Rijkswaterstaat, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, De Nieuwe Afsluitdijk, Province of Friesland, Province of North Holland. Development Partners: KitePower, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), TTB, Biopop, Eurocarbon and Versalume.

WINDVOGEL Sponsors

Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Province of Friesland, Province of North-Holland and De Nieuwe Afsluitdijk.

To learn more about the ICOON AFSLUITDIJK art installation and get information on when and how to view, visit the ICOON AFSLUITDIJK website.