Safer Streets

Safer Streets is a lighting installation in the style of classic Christmas lights that addresses the issue of street harassment as a form of violence against women. It helped create awareness and start a conversation about the problematic situation of street harassment in Brussels and beyond. Statistics were integrated into the designs of the Christmas lights, communicating the seriousness of the problem in a striking and unconventional way.

The jury on Safer Streets:

Mutant tackled the issue of street harassment and women’s feeling of insecurity in a smart, non-conventional way. The shapes and forms of the Christmas lights in Brussels make the message accessible and encourage discussion. The various messages presented range from calls to action to factual statements. Through a unique and clever use of language, messages and typography, Mutant powerfully amplifies the voice of an often-silent group. It is also remarkable how a brand has been integrated within the story.

What does this award mean to you?

It was a long-term project, and we had to convince many people, for example, at the municipality, to get this project off the ground. Getting an award is always nice but it’s even better when it rewards an idea close to your heart that involved so many people, both inside and outside the firm. Receiving this award brings joy to many people. 

How did the idea for this project come about?

Due to the energy crisis, cities and towns decided, for the first time in a long time, to switch off their public lighting to save costs. This reinforced the sense of insecurity and street harassment faced by many women in cities. To raise awareness of this problem - literally and figuratively - we are using the one type of lighting that is never cut back on in cities: Christmas lights.

What makes your project so special?

We chose to make a statement with an onsite installation in a dark and notorious alley in the capital city. Not only did we want to draw attention to the problem of street harassment, which is still too-often trivialised (95% of women sometimes feel unsafe on the street), but this installation also offered part of the solution. By illuminating this dark alley, we increased the sense of safety and created an urban environment that discouraged street harassment.