Studio Roosegaarde is expanding its portfolio with a new installation that cleans public spaces of coronavirus.  

If you’ve been missing mass gatherings as much as we have over the last year, this will brighten your day. Studio Roosegaarde’s Urban Sun —  a project which was inspired by the light of the sun — may be the long-awaited solution for being able to safely gather in public spaces. 

The Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde and his team started this project with a mission to find out if light could be used to sanitise surfaces against coronavirus. They ended up creating an installation that uses far-UVC light — a light shown to inactivate the bacteria and viruses in some microbial diseases.

Urban Sun works by shining this specific type of light into public areas, thereby cleaning them of the coronavirus. This innovative solution was created in collaboration with scientists from the Netherlands, US, Japan, and Italy. 

What is Urban Sun about?

Urban Sun is a symbol of hope. It “combats the negative impact of social isolation by aiming to improve cultural gatherings, sporting events, public squares, and schoolyards,” says Roosegaarde. 

Starting in a city known for innovation, the project was launched next to Rotterdam’s iconic Erasmus Bridge. “It’s inspiring. People are tired of COVID19. What we need is the courage to find new solutions, to get in touch with each other, and create some intimacy. That is what Urban Sun is doing,” says Jet Bussemaker, the President of the Council of the Public Health & Society Board of the Netherlands. 

The studio had already been researching the power of light prior to this project. However, the pandemic made the issue much more urgent. Urban Sun can clean up to 99.9% of the virus, potentially acting as an added layer of protection in addition to current coronavirus regulations. 

Designing solutions for a better future 

Being able to meet up safely in public areas again is something many people need. The studio points out that this artwork can be used in any type of public space, and encourages governments and partners to strongly consider implementing the project to upscale its practical applications. 

Urban Sun is yet another addition to Studio Roosegaarde’s impressive portfolio of installations that improve daily life in metropolitan environments. Dedicated to fighting climate change, their previous work helps to stop pollution, rethinks traffic, and lights up the future of agriculture. 

What do you think of the studio’s new project? Could it be the solution we need to have safe public spaces again? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: Daan Roosegaarde/Supplied