Noud de Wolf’s work Oasis in the City has won the 2026 Art on the Street Prize. Nearly 24 percent of the votes went to this sensory city garden in the A-quarter, where art and nature come together. Call for Knowledge (Zernike) and Street Rooms (Corpus den Hoorn) finished in second and third place, respectively.
Oasis in the City received glowing praise from the people who voted for it:
“I walk through here several times a week on my way to the city center and back home. Every time, regardless of the season, I experience a moment of ultimate happiness. What a beautiful design, and right in the middle of the city! Superbly conceived!”
“The combination of the Corten steel material and the lovely pattern gives the artwork an extra powerful presence. The idyllic location makes it complete.” “An artwork to experience with all your senses. Many artworks pass me by because I cannot see them visually. You can hear, feel, and smell Oase in de Stad, and even orientation has been considered. That feels safe. A sense of safety and tranquility is a luxury in the hustle and bustle of the city center.”
About Oasis in the City
The strip of land between the Academie Minerva building on Praediniussingel and the water of the A was landscaped in 1999 according to a design by Noud de Wolf. He did this commissioned by the building's then-occupant, the Natural History Museum. The garden is bordered at the front and back by a Corten steel fence, which represents a stylized forest. Running between them is a sensory path that leads walkers past special flowers and plants. The route is also suitable for people with visual impairments: thanks to a simple system of landmarks with an increasing number of stones, they know where they are. Not to be missed on the route is the Corten steel fountain: a bubbling spring with flowing water, which was added to the garden in 2006. Since then, according to Noud de Wolf, Oasis in the City has truly been complete.
Oasis in the City can be visited daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can find the entrances next to the Academie Minerva building on Praediniussingel 59, and one on the Reitemakersrijge side.
The work is part of several art routes:
Art Route around the City Center of Groningen