Ten years since their initial installation, and eighty years since the bombing of Rotterdam’s town centre, West 8 have assisted with a technical update to our Brandgrens WWII Memorial. Previously only visible at night, the new generation of LED fittings from LichtNL will allow both the red and green lights to be visible throughout the day and become illuminated with the public lights at dusk.
The 385 illuminated tiles were originally installed on the 14th of May 2010. This was exactly 70 years after the bombings which, together with the resulting fires, destroyed practically all of Rotterdam’s the city centre.
The installation permanently marks the areas of the city affected. It shows a depiction of flames behind Ossip Zadkine’s well-known statue ‘The destroyed city’. Coupled with information stations and website, the installation allows for further learning.
Concept and design: West 8 – 2009 (design update: 2019/2020)
Graphic design: Opera Concept Design, in collaboration with West 8.
Supplier 2009: Philips
Supplier 2020: Licht NL
Installer: Citytec
Client: Gemeente Rotterdam
