opperclaes creates colorful tactical street art in rotterdam

tactical street art in rotterdam is undergoing a rapid transition towards a sustainable future. once a car paradise within the dutch context, the city now uses tactical urbanism to transform its streetscapes and give them new meaning. hence in collaboration with street makers, a local urbanism agency, creative studio opperclaes creates a huge crosswalk artwork installed at an intersection.

all images © ossip van duivenbode

the result of opperclaes‘ work is a colorful piece connecting the different parts of the intersection, only using elements normally used by road workers. ‘city making is not only a job for planners and architects. we need different creative disciplines to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable, healthy, inclusive and successful city’, says jorn wemmenhove, creative strategist at street makers.

the ‘creative crosswalk’ not only is a tool for wayfinding, but also focuses on creating happy streets. ‘it’s is amazing to see how people interact with our art, making a difference at something so normal like crossing a street. people smiling, taking pictures. children playing, jumping from letter to letter,‘ says linda van vleuten, creative at opperclaes. all in all, the impact of the intervention on walkability will be measured both quantitatively and qualitatively. if proven successful, more creative crosswalks will be installed over the coming months

creative crosswalk rotterdam
video from jorn & lior

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom