Van Gogh’s Starry Night In Netherlands By Daan Roosegaarde
Artist Daan Roosegaarde created one of the most astonishing (and possibly the first in the world back in 2014) examples of a public pathway that glows in the dark. It is inspired by local history, heritage and culture and made for its environment. It is illuminated at night by a combination of glowing pebbles and solar-powered LEDs. This kilometer-long bike lane is located in a Dutch town, about 100 km south from Amsterdam, called Nuenen.
This place wasn’t randomly selected either – just like the design for the pattern – everything about this project is deliberate and connected. The special reason for choosing to locate this project in Nuenen is because the famous painter Vincent van Gogh lived there in 1883. The design of the glowing pattern refers to one of his best-known pieces, “Starry Night”, depicting a surreal view of a night sky. The swirls of brush strokes in the artwork were transferred into a glowing pattern on the bike lane.
See more about Daan Roosegaarde’s work in the video below.
Luminous Bike Lane In Poland By TPA
TPA Instytut Badan Technicznych in Pruszkow designed the country’s first luminous bike lane. It opened recently near Lidzbark Warminski in the Mazury region. So if you’re heading over there, or passing by, make sure to check it out and bring your bike if you can for an exciting experience!
The Polish engineers who designed this bike path revealed that the Dutch precedent of Roosgaarde’s “Starry Night” was a source of inspiration for them. However, this glowing project differs because the Dutch version uses LEDs whereas this one is entirely dependent upon solar power.
Igor Ruttmar from TPA says that the material the company used for the track gives light for over ten hours, which means that the road can radiate throughout the whole night and then (re)accumulate light the following day. The luminescent particles used in this material are called Luminophores. They have the ability to radiate in a variety of colors. For this project, blue was selected because they felt it was the color that suited the picturesque green landscape best.
Electricity-Free Alternative to Streetlights In England By Pro-Teq
Anyone can walk among the stars now thanks to innovative British company Pro-Teq. The company came up with a DIY solution to paving paths that glow called ‘Starpath.’ These self-illuminating paths are created by giving any surface a coating of Pro-Teq’s proprietary path surface, which absorbs energy from UV light and emits it.
Pro-Teq Surfacing owner Hamish Scott explains:
“This product adjusts to the natural light, so if it is pitch black outside the luminous natural earth enhances, and if the sky is lighter, it won’t release as much luminosity – it adjusts accordingly, it’s almost like it has a mind of its own.”
Since it is just a finish, the installation process is quick and can transform any walkway, sidewalk, or bike path instantly without having to pave a new path. Anyone can do it anywhere! A test trial was completed on a 140m path for the city council at Christ’s Pieces Park in Cambridge in only 4 hours.
This spray-on surface is also an anti-slip and water-resistant solution. The quick construction involves spraying a polyurethane base on the ground, followed by a layer of the aggregate material that absorbs and stores energy from UV rays, and a final polyaspartic top coat (that takes only half an hour to dry) to seal it all in.
