“When we look at highways, why is so much money and time and energy spent on cars but the actual roads themselves are still stuck in the Middle Ages?” asks Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde. He is the one who comes up with the idea of creating roads that help drivers. One of Europe’s largest engineers and road manufactures – Heijman takes Roosegaarede’s idea at heart and the firs 150-meter stretch „smart” road will appear in the Netherland by the end of the year.
The collaboration between Roosegaarde and Heijmans is a true example of innovative industries. The design and interactivity from Studio Roosegaarde and the craftsmanship of Heijmans are fused into one common goal: innovation of the Dutch landscape. The new road technology includes charging electric cars passing over, painting temporary digital snowflakes over ice patches, illuminating priority lanes and reducing energy waste by using streetlights donned with sensors.
“These are all ideas which are not super high-tech, they are basic principles which we can implement to existing roads,” Roosegaarde said in a video, which highlights his nomination for the INDEX “Designs to Improve Life” award. His project won the award eventually and the 100,000-euro reward is to be injected into the project’s continued development.
Ever the designer, Roosegaarde is already brainstorming new ideas, including applying some of these same technologies to illuminate bicycle lanes or airport landing tracks.
One day, he might even try to use the bioluminescence of jellyfish and fireflies to illuminate roadside shrubbery, an effort to once-and-for-all get rid of light poles.
