Glowing Nature | Studio Roosegaarde

Glowing Nature

A mysterious experience of 700 million year old microorganisms that glow upon your touch.

Glowing Nature

Glowing Nature

GLOWING NATURE is an interactive and mysterious experience which harnesses the unique qualities of live, 700 million year old microorganisms that glow upon your touch. The art installation enables visitors to magically interact with the most light-emitting algae in the world. GLOWING NATURE combines nature and technology to experience the future of light and energy.

GLOWING NATURE shows the beauty of nature through a unique encounter between biology and technology. Following an intensive period of research and design we created the perfect conditions for visitors to experience the most light-emitting algae in the world. As visitors walk around the installation, the pressure of their footsteps wakes up the algae, whose bioluminescence creates a mesmerising, ever-changing environment. GLOWING NATURE combines biology and technology and makes us consider light and energy, and nature’s potential to provide the tools for a better future.

GLOWING NATURE attracted thousands of visitors when it was first exhibited as part of ICOON AFSLUITDIJK at the Friesland bunker on the Afsluitdijk. The art installation now travels to exhibitions around the world. In the documentary 32KM you can follow Daan Roosegaarde and his team in the making of this project. The research programme continues with developing designs for GLOWING NATURE as public street lights.

Specifications:

2017-2021. Interactive art installation of 20 to 50 m2 of light emitting algae in custom polymer shell.

Made in collaboration with Daan Roosegaarde and his Studio Roosegaarde, The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, 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, Versalume.

Clients:

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, and De Nieuwe Afsluitdijk.

Selected Exhibitions

Downloads

Factsheet

Press Release

Self-glowing street lights
Self-glowing street lights
Dreaming of a world where people and the earth glow together, lighting up our future with self-growing street lights.
National Geographic
National Geographic
This month's National Geographic features our glowing nature research at Studio Roosegaarde about the beauty of light and darkness in nature.
Glowing Nature
Glowing Nature
Can GLOWING NATURE replace streetlights? See our mysterious exhibition of 700 million year old microorganisms which glow upon your touch.