The Twins

In 1990 the city of Groningen celebrated its 950 th anniversary and a contemporary city gate was placed at each main entrance road of the city to mark this. Architect Daniel Libeskind developed these city gates. City marking S03 at the Rozenburglaan is a forest of crooked posts with a wedge at about eight metres high. The work of art represents an open book with paintings of historic fragments the artist used to express that the city’s history is written by its residents. The paintings on the work were created by Groningen artists.

In 1990 the city of Groningen celebrated its 950 th anniversary and a contemporary city gate was placed at each main entrance road of the city to mark this. Architect Daniel Libeskind developed these city gates. At the Friesestraatweg is a city marking that is considered a monument of Groningen’s industrial past. Artist Thom Puckey created a distinctive Groningen factory chimney, which in the nineteenth century were often found at brickyards, strawboard and potato flour factories throughout the province. In the late 20 th century many of these factories were closed down, as represented by the bronze branches growing out of the windows.

In 1972 Groeisymbool  (symbol of growth) received a place in the pond at the then newly delivered main office of the Rabobank at the Pleiadenlaan. One year later the Rabobank presented the work of art to the municipality of Groningen. The sculpture consists of three high pylons that rise straight from the water and are surrounded by fourteen floe-shaped elements that stick up from the water. A fountain spouts the water up along the pylons after which it splashes on the floes. In the evening underwater lighting illuminates the fountain sculpture in white light. Artist Jacob van der Meij described the work of art as a symbol of the earth bursting with the three polyps rising from the water and the brilliant white lighting at night expressing the primal forces and energy of the earth.

Three small living rooms – with lamps, a sofa, a table and even slippers – have been constructed by the water in a grass strip at the Boerhavelaan. They were designed by artist Lena van der Wal, who was looking to create domestic meeting places where local residents can go and visit each other in the street. Van der Wal was commissioned for this work by Groningen housing corporations De Huismeesters and Nijestee that wanted to do something back for the residents of the south-western quadrant in the Corpus den Hoorn neighbourhood to compensate for the inconvenience during a major district renewal.

The Piccardthofplas is inhabited by vast numbers of birds. In order to prevent them from being drawn to the headlights of cars, Noud de Wolf was commissioned to design a light screen that would not deprive residents of the opposite houses their view of the water. After extensive research, De Wolf designed a 200-metre-long screen divided into 96 plates that capture the lights of the cars. The plates have been placed in such a way that a waving movement is created. Thanks to the shape, earthen colour and the gravel between the plates, the work functions as a natural filter between the tranquillity of the water and the dynamics of city life.

The footpath across the dyke by the Paterswoldseweg ends at a ‘look-out’, which provides hikers with a magnificent view of the Piccardthofplas lake. The ‘look-out’ consists of a big weathering steel ring. Nine plane-trees were planted within the ring, which will eventually provide the work of art with a shady green roof. The circle has two entrances with three-metre-high entrance gates. The use of material for the work of art fits in with the Lichtscherm (Light Screen) across the road because both works of art were created by the same artist: Noud de Wolf. 

In the centre of the pond in front of the Duisenberg building and the Zernike complex are the contour lines of an immense human figure. The sculpture is six metres high and made from stainless steel. A powerful fountain spouts water up within the contours of the sculpture, as a result of which parts of the figure are hidden from view. The spurt of water reaches above the shoulder before it turns into a hazy spray. The title of the work refers to ‘something that changes and yet stays the same’. The changing same symbolises the research in the Spatial Sciences faculty. According to artists Maree Blok and Bas Lughhart the water from the fountain is the backbone of the human figure and a metaphor for the ability of humans to change themselves and their environment time and time again without losing themselves.

The relationship between surface and spaces plays an important role in the work by Danish artist Per Kirkeby, and this also applies to this untitled work at the Emmasingel. The work consists of two rows of six columns connected crosswise as well as lengthwise using arch constructions. Wall surfaces are applied between some of the columns in such a way that a wall is positioned opposite every opening, resulting in a spatial line pattern of open and closed sections and changing light and shadow.

This voluptuous woman with distinctive ultra-long lashes strides down the stairs of the Cascade complex at the Emmasingel. The sculpture was created by Silvia B. and placed here in 2004. Over eight metres high and seemingly an example of beauty, upon closer inspection it becomes clear that deficiencies are hidden behind this exterior.

In 1990 the city of Groningen celebrated its 950 th anniversary and a contemporary city gate was placed at each main entrance road of the city to mark this. Architect Daniel Libeskind developed these city gates. The S02 city marking represents an open book and was created by artist Akira Asada. One page was made from glass and metal, and the other from stone with the text ‘onvoltooid toekomstige tijd’ (simple future tense). The idea was for monitors to project news on the work of art 24/7, but unfortunately technical progress was not ready for this at the time.

‘Stap’ (Step) is the larger than life-sized and extremely stylised body of a young girl who is hardly awakened and anonymous because of her missing head, arms and hands. She is standing straight and proud. Academy teacher Peter Stut created the bluestone pedestal that is reminiscent of a catwalk. The posture and stylised representation are characteristic of the sculptures by Siepman van den Berg, who is predominantly interested in the patterns of the human body and the abstraction that results when individual features are omitted.

In 1876, this distinctive building was the entry for the world fair in Philadelphia. In those days the building, which was designed as a former Groningen state former Dutch High School, was considered the ultimate example for school building in secondary education. A special element in this design by architect H. Raamakers is the freehand drawing classroom above the hallway. This classroom had a glass ceiling with an extended glass dome above it. The former school was designed around 1869 and is characterised by its monumental Neo-classical architectural style. Striking elements include the three semicircular arches above the entrance and the polygonal observation post lined with wood from which the stars can be observed.

Aletta Jacobs (1854-1929) became known as the first woman ever to be admitted to university, and who for the rest of her life championed for women’s suffrage and world peace. In 1871 Jacobs, who was born in Sappemeer, started studying medicine at the University of Groningen. She took her doctoral degree in 1879 and started a practice in Amsterdam, where she carried out important work in the area of women’s health care and birth control. The statue was created by sculptress Theresia van der Pant and in 1988 was placed on the forecourt of the Arts Faculty.