Illuminating Amsterdam’s Soul
Light Bridge
Client
Amsterdam Light Festival
Design
Tjep.
Design team
Frank Tjepkema, Yannic Alidarso
Production
Bruns
Location
Amstel canal, Amsterdam
A Radiant Ode to Canal City Connections
Picture a glowing arc that dances with Amsterdam’s heartbeat—a luminous sculpture where light and water weave a story of a city alive on both streets and canals. Unveiled by Tjep. for the Amsterdam Light Festival from November 27, 2014, to January 18, 2015, Light Bridge graces the final span of the Herengracht where it meets the Amstel, facing the Hermitage Museum, transforming one of Amsterdam’s 1,200+ canal bridges into a vibrant celebration of its dual essence.
Bridging Heritage with Modern Brilliance
Designed by Frank Tjepkema, Light Bridge marries the 17th-century gables of Amsterdam’s classic architecture with the sleek lines of modern icons like the Eye and Stedelijk, reinterpreting the simple bulbs that traditionally outline bridge arches into a monumental, interactive masterpiece. Its fluid, mirrored form captures the city’s pulse—swaying with passing boats below and humming with pedestrian life above—creating a mesmerizing mirage of light that ripples across the Amstel when traffic stills.
A Dynamic Mirage of Light and Water
The installation’s genius lies in its interplay, reflecting the gentle motion of water and the rhythm of urban flow, forging a dialogue between the bridge and the river’s surface that feels almost alive. Visible from the street, the Festival’s Water Colors boat route, and the Illuminade walking route (December 11, 2014, to January 4, 2015), Light Bridge invites all to witness Amsterdam’s story through a shimmering lens, connecting viewers to the city’s layered history and vibrant present.
Tjep.’s Celebration of Amsterdam’s Dual Soul
“We imagine this art installation as the celebration of two essential yet separated characteristics that define urban activity in Amsterdam—life on the streets and life on the waterways,” Tjepkema reflects, encapsulating Light Bridge as an ode to the city’s dynamic interplay. It stands as a testament to Tjep.’s ability to harmonize past and present, weaving a luminous thread that stitches Amsterdam’s architectural heritage to its forward-looking spirit.
A Luminous Thread in Tjep.’s Visionary Tapestry
More than an installation, Light Bridge is Tjep.’s poetic provocation, echoing the connective ethos of our House of Yes and the self-sufficient dreams of the Oogst series, challenging us to see urban spaces as living canvases. It transforms a functional bridge into a fleeting spectacle, illuminating the ties that bind a city’s soul across time and tide.
Lighting the Path to Amsterdam’s Future
Ephemeral yet eternal, it proves one bridge can reflect a city’s past while glowing toward its tomorrow. Explore more of Tjep.’s radiant innovations on Tjep.com, where we illuminate the future with every spark of design.