Let’s light this candle. A new project called “Underpassage” will see colorful light installations underneath city overpasses as a means of enhancing safety and the overall pedestrian experience in Houston.
Approved by the City of Houston-appointed Downtown Redevelopment Authority Board, the Underpassage project will bring lights to Rusk Street and Texas Avenue Interstate 69 underpasses in Downtown, Houston near Daikin Park.
“This thoughtful invervention will serve as a welcoming and safe connection for residents and visitors alike, bridging our neighborhoods and enhancing the pedestrian experience along this crucial corridor for years to come,” said Downtown Houston+’s director of economic development and planning, Cassie Hoeprich.
The Underpassage project will be designed by Houston art collective, Moon Papas Art, and will feature animated lighting, sound-activated touchpoints, and suffusion of different colors.
Underpassage reimagines the underpass as a vibrant public space, turning the otherwise un-notable corridor into a dynamic visual experience. Layers of perforated steel will add texture and movement, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow along the path.
Overhead, a network of LED fixtures and artistic wall sconces will illuminate the space with a spectrum of color, transforming the underpass into a welcoming, energetic thoroughfare after dark. The columns will also feature embedded touchpads, according to Chron, that will add an interactive element to the space.
Following the necessary approval of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the lights would be visible day and night and last up to 10 years. The project of Downtown Houston+ is a part of its greater initiative enhance the pedestrian experience in Houston and welcome those to the city.
Construction on the project is set to begin this summer with a projected completion date of this September.