Most artists create work for you to look at. However, Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde creates work that cleans up your city. His team at Studio Roosegaarde works at the intersection of high-level engineering and art. However, instead of using paint and clay, they use light, algorithms, and bio-technology to solve problems.

Their goal is to stop discussing the importance of sustainability. Instead, they will build massive structures that clean the air or generate power for cities. This is one of the best examples of turning innovation into reality.

Vacuuming the Sky

One of Studio Roosegaarde’s most famous works is the Smog Free Tower. This structure is the world’s largest air purifier. This tower can reach over twenty feet in height and works to vacuum the dirty air from a park. The tower uses ion technology to purify the air, then releases a bubble of smog-free air into the environment for people to breathe.

Roosegaarde did not end with building this tower. He partnered with the studio to turn the tower’s waste into a fashion accessory. The studio can capture millions of carbon particles from smog and turn them into jewelry. These “Smog Free Jewelry” products use their profits to fund the creation of more Smog Free Towers.

Roads That Glow in the Dark

Another creation from Studio Roosegaarde is roads that glow in the dark. One of their most notable projects is the Smart Highway, a collaboration with infrastructure engineers. They created a paint that glows in the dark after being exposed to sunlight during the day. With this paint, the highway glows in the dark for up to eight hours.

Another innovation from the Smart Highway road project is a paint that changes temperature. This paint will only glow when the temperature drops below freezing. This paint creates glowing snowflakes on the highway to alert drivers of icy roads.

A Protopia, Not a Utopia

Daan Roosegaarde does not want to create a utopia for the world. He wants to create a protopia, one in which the world becomes a little better every single day. By merging art and engineering, he has shown the world that solutions to environmental challenges can be as exciting as the next innovation in engineering.