Ferizaj, Kosovo
Offering safe pedestrian passage with artful underpasses
The Project
Ferizaj is a small city in Kosovo that has grown dramatically. As part of recent construction, several pedestrian underpasses were built to allow people on foot to safely cross major roads and rail lines. However, some of the underpasses are unwelcoming and poorly lit, and so many people end up crossing the dangerous roads and tracks directly. Two pedestrian underpasses were transformed by teams of artists into urban galleries, encouraging residents to use the safe passages. This project also catalyzed the local government to add additional lighting to create a safer site for the pedestrians. Aligned with the city’s 150th Anniversary, this project helps further MuralFest Kosova’s efforts to improve public space and mobility in Ferizaj, and to make it a “city of murals.”
- The volume of pedestrians using the underpass increased by 23%
- The average duration of visit doubled in length
- The percentage of pedestrians who feel safe using the underpass increased from 37% to 84%
“What was once a mundane passage is now a journey through color, culture, and creativity, a testament to the power of art and the community to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.”
Fortuna Haziri, Project Manager, MuralFest Kosova
Use the slider to see the transformation
Best Practice Highlight: Asphalt Art Design Bootcamp
MuralFest selected 15 young local artists from an open call to participate in a 4-day “bootcamp” to develop possible designs for the underpass. The artists were divided into 3 groups, each of which would come up with a design. On the first day, the participants took measurements of the underpass and created a 3D model. They conducted over 300 interviews of people passing through or near the underpass to ask what themes they would like to see in the artwork. During the remainder of the camp, MuralFest staff worked with the artist teams to create their designs. The 3 designs were voted on by the public, and catalyzed an additional grant from a local partner to pay for a second needy underpass to be painted with the runner-up design.
Press
“Fragments of Utopia” for change through art (KOHA, June 23, 2023)
Ferizaj underpass one step closer to transformation into “urban gallery” (KOHA, April 21, 2023)
“MuralFest Kosova”, Ferizaj among 19 European cities, selected by Bloomberg Philanthropies (Gazeta Metro, October 11, 2022)
Ferizaj, part of the Asphalt Art global initiative for coloring the walkways (Zëri, October 10, 2022)
For inspiration and tips for the creation of art on roadways and public places, download the Bloomberg Associates Asphalt Art Guide which features successful plaza and roadway art activations around the world, as well as key steps for developing such projects.
