Genk (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): Dutch artist Giny Vos’s light artwork ‘Endless Horizon’ illuminates a tunnel under the E314 motorway connecting a busy commercial area with a green space while solar panels power the sustainable installation.
In May the light artwork called ‘Endless Horizon’ by Dutch artist Giny Vos was turned on for the first time. It lights up the tunnel under the E314 motorway on Emile Van Dorenlaan. This large piece of art is placed to help connect the busy commercial street of Stalenstraat with the green area of Stiemervallei. The E314 motorway divides these two different environments making it a significant barrier between them. Vos’s artwork aims to connect the busy city area with the natural surroundings by turning the tunnel into an interesting space. The dynamic lights of ‘Endless Horizon’ not only make the tunnel look better but also act as a symbol that helps people feel more connected to both the lively commercial area and the peaceful green space nearby.
How Giny Vos’s ‘Endless Horizon’ artwork balances sustainability and practicality in Genk?
In the original idea for the artwork by Giny Vos the design included solar panels placed in the middle of the motorway to power the installation. This choice was made to make sure the artwork is sustainable and energy-efficient following modern environmental standards. However putting in these solar panels caused worries because they might get in the way of plans to add a third lane to the motorway. To prevent any issues with future road developments Annie Nagels the culture alderman said that Vos needed to find a different solution. This meant that Vos had to think of new ways to make the artwork sustainable without conflicting with the plans for the road. As a result Vos and the project team looked for other ways to power the artwork sustainably while keeping in mind the possibility of future road expansion.
In Genk a 40-meter part of the concrete bike path has been replaced with a new solar panel system which is a big step forward for Limburg. The new panels can be driven on are more resistant to mud and are less slippery than regular surfaces. They also have a bright blue color making the path look unique.It has been said that this upgrade shows a great mix of usefulness and sustainability highlighting the effort to use modern technology in everyday infrastructure. The project is run by Soltech a company located at Thor Park in Genk. Alderman for Sustainability Toon Vandeurzen (CD&V) says this is the first project of its kind in Limburg showing how the region is being innovative by mixing renewable energy with practical city design. By adding solar cells to the bike path the project not only improves the cycling experience but also helps with the larger goal of sustainable urban development.
The blue color of the bike path adds the finishing touch. Naegels explains, “The blue stands for the Stiemerbeek, the bike path shows the connection, and the straight line leading to the Stiemervallei makes the artwork feel more endless.” It should be finished by the end of this week.
