The function and form of public space at night is determined mainly by artificial lights. A light guides pedestrians, cars and bicycles along roads and paths, and also influences their speed of travel. It also illuminates the dark corners and facilitates the safe passage of pedestrians. It highlights architecturally significant structures, defines space and can transform background of buildings into canvases for colour, shadow and motion. It also allows public spaces to be enjoyed during night time, altering our landscapes to allow for unique and new evening experiences. Similarly, light serves as a wayfinding tool, reinforcing neighbourhood boundaries and identities, and influencing how we perceive and move through a certain space.
Until recently, functional and financial interests of municipal bodies have largely dictated lighting design in public spaces. Few cities throughout the world have incorporated aesthetic considerations for lighting into urban planning initiatives.
Unlike so many other urban features, lighting cannot be designed in isolation as its glow affects the greater urban environment. With little investment, interest or coordination of urban lighting by many municipalities in the past, over-illumination or light pollution has negatively impacted natural habitats and is a nuisance to neighbouring residents. Poorly coordinated lighting strategies can compete and conflict with one another, detracting from both the aesthetics and functionality of urban spaces and our cities.
Photo 2: An example of well illuminated Public Park
In order to increase the ability of improved urban lighting to enhance public spaces and streets (not to mention improve urban liveability, the perception of public security and economic vitality), below given are a few recommendations:
Evaluate existing urban lighting and identify opportunities for additional illumination
Evaluating existing lighting installations would allow the city or a public area to correct improperly placed or directed light, such as that which unnecessarily spills into the sky or into adjacent buildings. Improving bad illuminated public areas could improve the functional and visual quality of it and help to promote positive public attitude and safety toward future urban lighting initiatives. The better the people understands the effects of and responses to existing public lighting, the better the installations and lighting plans will be in the future plans. Many parks, open areas and public spaces in any city would benefit from increased illumination (refer Photo 2).
Take advantage of good examples, tested concepts and technologies
Around the world, innovative technologies and lighting plans are being tested, so why not reap the benefits of those best implemented examples. For example, Melbourne has been testing intelligent lighting fixtures allowing lights to be turned on, or off (refer figure 3). These lights can even be dimmed as necessary to reduce energy consumption in the early hours of the morning when users are not there. Implementing tested concepts in any of the local projects would help the city or area cut costs and eases installation.
Figure 3: Intelligent street lighting (smart lighting) in a street of Melbourne
Investigate performance-based standards for street lighting
Introduction of municipal engineering standards for lighting will ensure the street illumination consistency throughout the city or any area. Light reinforces the intended purpose, mode and speed of travel along a street through fixture height and spread of illumination. Continuous road lighting has proven to support higher speeds and strengthen the supremacy of the vehicle.
In Canada, ‘performance-based zoning’ is becoming an increasingly popular means of setting parameters for mixed-used development projects through goal-oriented criteria rather than prescriptive requirements. Performance-based specific standards for urban lighting could allow for similar workability for the luminance of city roads. In Melbourne, street lighting is organised hierarchically allowing for maximum illumination on main traffic routes and reduced illumination on local or internal streets.
The city of Vancouver in Canada has venture to incorporate interesting and novel lighting design into new development (refer figure 4). Exploring performance-based engineering standards for areas with low vehicle traffic would reinforce the intensions of the lighting plans and place the public and pedestrian realm at the forefront of planning and development. A study of street lighting standards are desired by both planning and engineering departments of municipalities in order to fully explore the functional and visual opportunities of performance-based standards for street lighting.
Figure 4: High impact busy traffic street in downtown Vancouver, Canada
Develop a lighting master plan
A lighting master plan does not dictate design, but guides development towards a balanced, appealing and organic lighting program. Because of the diversity of technical people involved in urban lighting projects, full coordination is required to ensure that full, local benefit is achieved and a unique image of the city or an area is developed.
The primary purpose of a lighting master plan is to establish functional and aesthetic criteria to improve the quality, consistency and efficiency of urban lighting for public place and security. Enhancing people’s experience in the city after sunset, a lighting master plan outlines strategies to ensure that decorations are balanced with public safety, services as well as concern for energy efficiency.
Figure 5: Lighting in Public space on a street of Melbourne
In any city or area, a lighting master plan would fulfil a number of purposes. It would guide the coordination of illumination, ensuring that light stability is assessed before development. Focussing on city’s future goal, it would allow for the clarification and extension of lighting components found in existing city plans and detail environmental deliberations. A lighting master plan would strengthen urban lighting as a tool to enhance wayfinding, present local level character and enforce a sound image for the city or any area.
Public Lighting Strategy, 2013, city of Melbourne proves a valuable case study for lighting master plan. Melbourne views urban lighting as integral to increased personal safety and economic prosperity – seeing it as a tool to make the city “…more liveable and attractive.” Sometimes the local climate of the city or area provides an additional opportunity to use colour and illumination to improve the visual quality of the public realm in overcast weather. A good street or public area may be functional but a great street or public area is superior in its character and quality. Throughout the world, cities are having immense opportunities to improve urban liveability, economic vitality and the perception of public security only by improving the illumination of our public spaces or streets. A devotion to public realm enhancements means enhancing the areas that we value and use, both during the day and at night.
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