City DNA

In his series ‘City DNA,’ Lu Xinjian translates the characteristic street plans and buildings of cities worldwide into highly abstracted, geometric designs. Commissioned by Museum EICAS, he also captured the character of Deventer in this style. The original work, executed with acrylic paint on canvas, is exhibited in the museum. M2uur bv digitized the artwork and processed it into a reproducible design. Matching the stripes with the joints and the different angles at which the glass is mounted presented an additional challenge.

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Tried and tested

To ensure that the soul of the artwork remained intact and the technical realization was feasible, an extensive preparation process was organized. Different ways of image processing, printing techniques and mounting methods were tested on location. Reproducing the painting one-on-one did not prove to produce the desired effect. The brush strokes were too magnified, causing the design to lose power. The design was then digitally redrawn by M2uur bv. Thus the sleek lines and intense colors were created.

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Ceramic print

The artistic roof is made of glass panels with a ceramic print. In total, over 400 m2 of glass was used, divided into 222 panels. Each panel is unique in size and print. M2uur bv took care of the technical layout. Steinfort Glas produced the panels. For this, the KristalPrint product was used. The images were printed on the glass using ceramic ink. Under heating, the ceramic ink particles fused with the glass. This results in scratch and colorfast prints. The glass is weatherproof and low maintenance. Moreover, production occurs without toxic substances and heavy metals. KristalPrint is a sustainable and affordable alternative to traditional screen printing on glass.

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Climb

VM Facade Technology handled the installation of the printed glass panels on the roof. With 222 unique panels, this was quite a puzzle to put together. The assembly was completed well in time for the opening of EICAS. City DNA can be clearly seen from the front market square. Those who wish to see the work in its full glory are invited to climb the adjacent Lebuine Tower. From the balustrade at a height of over fifty meters, the scale of the work becomes truly visible.

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Culturally driven

Museum EICAS had been looking for a suitable location for years. Developer 1618 Vastgoed combined the housing of the museum with the construction of 16 owner-occupied apartments. Director Gabriël Bosch of 1618Vastgoed: “I think this project is symbolic of what we as a company stand for: realizing social and cultural development from a value-driven perspective. Koos Hoogland of Museum EICAS: ‘The roof is literally an eye-catcher of stature. It gives the building a recognizable and museum-like appearance. Exactly what we need!’