Attention! A work of art! Attention!

Artist Martijn Sandberg designed a bridge with gold-coloured bars, so that every movement on the bridge is reflected in the De Boelegracht. Of particular note is that, viewed from the correct angle, the bars on the side form the words ‘Opgelet! Kunstwerk! Opgelet!’ (‘attention! a work of art! attention!’) Thanks to that interplay of light, relief, and shade, the bridge now gains a level of attention that would normally be expected of a painting or sculpture. However, the bridge is also a product of civil engineering – also known in the construction world as a ‘work of art’. That means, says Sandberg, you can use the Kunstbrug simply as a bridge, but ‘at the same time […] it is a nod to art and remains what the viewer wishes to make of it’.

The Kunstbrug is a gift from Ontwikkelcombinatie Zuidschans (developers BPD | Bouwfonds and AM), responsible for The George and The Gustav residential buildings. The developers were keen to enhance the quality of the local environment by means of a work of art, and to combine that idea with the plans for an extra link between Zuidas and Buitenveldert. 

The Kunstbrug has been under development for some time. The project saw seemingly endless stopping and starting. And as sharp-eyed observers have noted, this week we have again raised it from its ‘home’ position. This was to enable us to adjust the supporting points in the De Boelegracht so that the bridge could rest seamlessly on both banks. But the wait has certainly been worth it: The Kunstbrug is now open.