Light as a Medium for Supporting Leisure Activities in Open Public Spaces (original) (raw)

Day for Night": The role of artificial lighting in returning people to urban public spaces

2012

In many cultures the word "night", as it bears a meaning of "darkness" has been used negatively. All through the history the fear of mankind from darkness, as the world of unknown treats, still exists in the memory of the city dwellers. This study is concerned with the evolution of lighting design in public spaces. Although some researchers have devoted attention to outdoor lighting, they have devoted little attention to lighting as an urban design parameter. The purpose of this research is to understand how planning, developing and revitalizing of appropriate lighting design for urban space supports bringing people back to the public spaces of the city. Literature review revealed that for bringing back people to the city, not only a comprehensive lighting design, but also various factors to ensure the durability of public use has to be considered. Current dissertation pointed out; in order to be able to attract people to urban public spaces, set of rules and guidelines has to be applied to the lighting of public spaces which calls Lighting Master Plan. 13 factors divided into 3 categories have been suggested as the framework for evaluating lighting condition of a city or a region within the city. In conclusion, lighting conditions of the case study (Walled-City in Famagusta) have been evaluated, considering mentioned factors and solutions, and suggested for enhancement of public lighting in this region.

Increasing the Livability of Open Public Spaces during Nighttime: The Importance of Lighting in Waterfront Areas

Sustainability, 2022

The contemporary way of life influences the forms and time framework of outdoor activities in open public spaces, shifting their focus to nighttime usage. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the limits of existing outdoor lighting design standards and recommendations in terms of livability. As an exploratory case study, the Sava waterfront in New Belgrade, Serbia was chosen. The methodology consisted of theoretical research and specific analysis, which included: (1) mapping the spatial distribution of users during several periods of the day; (2) criteria and indicator network analysis of outdoor lighting quality, and (3) a survey with a questionnaire conducted among the users of the waterfront area. The results showed that lighting design can influence overall open public space usage during nighttime through its parameters. It can affect the spatial distribution of users and their sense of safety and comfort, as well as the duration, frequency, and manner of usage. This study could improve planning and design practices regarding outdoor lighting, enabling more active and inclusive usage of open public spaces, thus increasing the overall livability of spaces and their social sustainability.

How urban lighting can influence the human behavior in the public spaces at night.

Hochschule Wismar-University of Applied Sciences, Technology, Business and Design Wismar, Germany, 2018

Light plays a major role in our life. It is crucial to our existence. Light links cultural, economical, social and political aspects of our life.As far as, more than half the world’s population live in cities and the United Nations estimate this figure to rise towards 70% by 2050. It is important to research about the urban lighting to increase the living quality of the tremendous number of world population. Properly considered lighting can encourage social interactions and keep the people for a longer time in the city by providing a better environment. Light enables us to experience the space, and the perception of the space depends on how light interacts with it. We perceive the impression of the space through its form, surfaces, color, and light but light can develop our observation ability through the visual system. Light can alter our impressions of the space through changes in the Spatiality, atmosphere, and visibility of the space thus our experience of the environment could alter. Berlin’s fascinating history caused erecting of different architectural styles in different parts of the city. Berlin is a polycentric city due to its separation by the Berlin wall for decades. Even before that each national governments based in Berlin- the Kingdom of Prussia, the 1871 German Empire, the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany- had significant construction programs and added their distinctive style of architecture to the city, which is not very different than what is happening now after reunified Germany. The researcher chose four squares in various parts of Berlin with their distinctive architectural style and lighting situation but with same usage and same potential users to find an answer to his research.

Perceptions of the nocturnal public space and technological innovations − citizen evaluation of a smart public lighting installation in Nantes

SHS Web of Conferences

The recent introduction of digital tools in public lighting represents a milestone in the evolution of street lighting. Simultaneously to this innovation phase, urban lighting is currently being studied in terms of energy and environmental sobriety, to reduce its financial and ecological impact. This study presents the observations and evaluations carried out by nocturnal urban dwellers of an experimental public lighting system, set up in real conditions. The evaluations question the relevance of sensors integrated to the lighting material in real time via a series of survey managed autonomously by residents of the experimental environment.

Light as an ambient material in transformative urban “night” spaces

SHS Web of Conferences, 2019

This study explores the subject of design and community engagement with regard to light as a transformative material in urban "night" spaces. Four unique case studies, each of which originated under the auspices of meeting specific site purposes or needs, nevertheless all represent the successful coming together of design, local suitability and ultimately, community support and participation.

The Impact of Light and Shading on Creating Interactive and Active Urban Spaces

There are many orientations to find and enhance architectural trends and methods related to the principle of planning and designing light and shading in urban spaces, particularly after the advancements that have happened to the dimension and components of the urban space. The research aims to reach a vision of the aspects and indicators through which light and shading play an active role in finding valuable interactive urban spaces, and enhancing the relationship between the user and the surrounding environment to achieve the opportunity to create visually enjoyable and visually meaningful experiments, through improving the functional, environmental, social, and aesthetic aspects. The research problem: "lack of knowledge about the role and effect of light and shading on creating interactive and effective urban spaces. The research concluded the main and essential terms of the theoretical background from a synthesis literature review and these terms are represented by the functional, environmental, social, and aesthetic aspects of urban spaces, their subsidiary, and parameters, finally enhancing these aspects, light, and shading can be effective in creating and finding interactive and active urban spaces.

Public lighting and participatory democracy, the contribution of public transport drivers in Nantes Métropole to the evaluation of nocturnal urban ambiances

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2020

The proposal falls within the urban regeneration practices associated with the night and nightlife themes. It presents L'Observatoire de la nuit, a participatory evaluation and design method regarding nocturnal urban ambiances based on dematerialised questionnaires, with digitally mapped-out contributions. The evaluations deal with the conditions of use and temporality of the nocturnal public space. They produce precise knowledge regarding the real activities unfolding. It aims to accompany political and technical decisions made by local authorities. The case study presented here is that of Nantes Métropole, whose Public Lighting Coherence Scheme illustrates the methodology.

Transforming Urban Nightlife and the Development of Smart Public Spaces

Global literature provides indicators of vibrant urban spaces with night activities that differ based on the historical and spatial, demographic, and cultural settings. This study aims to investigate Tehran's nightlife with an emphasis on the effects of these settings on nightlife. Scanning literature figured out that nightlife is a prominent manifestation of the complex, dynamic, and increasing relationship between the components of the economy, society, and culture. In the reflection on the case study of Tehran, nightlife can be examined from objective-physical-functional and mental-psycho-perceptual viewpoints. The concluded remarks indicate that in creating the nightlife, it is crucial to redefining the three factors of cultural areas: people, time, and creativity. The results also showed the effect of urban space components (body, function, and meaning) on nightlife in Tehran. The ambition is to deepen the understanding of ongoing transformations in regulating, using, and experiencing the nightlife during religious ceremonies compared to regular nights. Space is an artificial environment that has been produced, formed, molded, and used in various periods and among various societies. Space shows not only the general geographical characteristics of the societies; it also reflects the cultural ideals and historical values of a society. In this case, space is considered a social thing, with special meanings, values, and characteristics that, on the one hand, is the product of

Field, Light and Food: Adapting of the Town Square as a Leisure Gathering Space at Night

PLANNING MALAYSIA JOURNAL, 2017

A square is an important built open space in cities and towns. In many urban areas throughout the world squares act as essential form of public space, making them a venue where socializing, meeting and event activities take place. Over the years, more squares are emerging as public spaces in Malaysian cities and towns as an alternative to parks. While most people often visit parks in the morning and evening, they still need a public space where they can conduct their leisure activities after working hours and at night. This is particularly relevant for towns and cities located in tropical and humid countries like Malaysia. The rising need to be outdoors in a cooler environment in the evening and at night, as a respite from the daytime heat and work, has attracted people back to the town squares. The sense of openness that a square offers is different from that of a park at night. The attractiveness of a square as a night space relies on how its users relate to the square’s physical,...