Return of the Fireflies

Dutch artist and innovator Daan Roosegaarde (1979) is a creative thinker and designer known for social projects that explore the connection between people, technology, and nature. From an early age, Roosegaarde was inspired by nature’s wonders, like glowing fireflies and jellyfish. His fascination with both nature and technology is reflected in iconic works such as the SMOG FREE PROJECT (the world’s largest outdoor air purifier that transforms smog into jewelry), the VAN GOGH PATH (a glowing bicycle path), and URBAN SUN, which purifies public spaces from coronavirus. Daan Roosegaarde studied Fine Arts and earned a Master’s in architecture from The Berlage Institute in Rotterdam. In 2007, he founded Studio Roosegaarde, collaborating with his team to create future landscapes. He has received prestigious awards, including the London Design Innovation Medal, INDEX Design Award, and two Dutch Design Awards, and has exhibited at the Design Museum London, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and Tate Modern. Roosegaarde is a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum, a professor at Tongji University in Shanghai, and a member of NASA’s Innovation team. Recognized by Forbes and WIRED as a creative changemaker, he lectures globally, including at TED. Phaidon has published a monograph on his work. His recent project is theworld’s first FIREFLY GARDEN with a breeding program in Bali.