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It has been since the time of Boccaccio and his Decameron that an exceptional situation triggers unusual stimuli in artists. The Covid-19 pandemic is no exception and designers are no exception. This is the case of the Dutch Daan Roosegaarde who with the team of creatives and engineers of his design studio designed and created “Urban sun”, an ultraviolet light source capable of generating a space free from viruses and “from” viruses. of Covid.
Another view of the installation (studio Roosegaarde)
This, at least, is what declares Roosegaarde himself, which installed its first “sun” on the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, and which builds on studies carried out by researchers from Columbia University and other universities. According to these studies, while ultraviolet light at a wavelength of 254 nanometers is harmful to humans, that at 222 nanometers is not, which, on the other hand, has the property of reducing the presence of viruses between which Covid in the air.
The world’s first “Urban Sun” cleanses public spaces of coronavirus for safer encounters
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That 0.1% recalls the same “safety” percentage mentioned by many toothpastes and home hygiene products but so be it. In short, Urban Sun is a “street lamp” of ultraviolet light that generates a “virus free” bell beneath it and it goes without saying that Roosegaarde imagines large spaces in which, thanks to this beneficial “sun”, one can return to meet, listen to music , play sports and so on.
Simulation of installation in a large public space (Roosegaarde studio)
In the fight towards a new normal, Roosegaarde points out that his creation – which has enjoyed international collaborations – makes use of the calibration measures of the Dutch National Institute of Metrology and that the ultraviolet light source meets the requirements of the International Commission for Protection from non-ionizing radiation (ICNIRP). The virus is forewarned, we hope.
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