Is lighting a neglected element of city planning? Schwendinger says yes:
"I just did a light walk in Washington, D.C. In retrospect, I thought the lighting of the city was adequate but it wasn't at all interesting. What we're trying to understand better is who owns the lighting, who is responsible for the nighttime environment? Basically, it's city agencies, sometimes utilities. The lighting system that we rely on and takes care of us at night is street lighting. It's focused on the streets, but what about the sidewalks?"
Comments
Thanks for the post
Dear Planetizen and Readers,
Thanks for reading between the lines of my ASLA interview: "Is lighting a neglected element of city planning? Schwendinger says yes:"
Planning for the nighttime environment is absolutely neglected in the USA. In cities all over the world lighting has been recognized as a master planning tool for safe streets, and to enhance environmental wayfinding, identity and... citizens' pleasure.
For this reason Light Projects has launched the NightSeeing™ initiative for the general public and professionals as an active, eye-opening, experiential analysis of the character of lighting in any given place.
TheNightSeeing™ program consists of a LightTalk and LightWalk, and we are considering an addition of LightPlanning charrettes to this sequence.
For more information;my blog on the subject of the ASLA LightWalk http://wp.me/pqlxc-uW, please note links at the end of the article - including the 7-min movie - Night City http://www.youtube.com/lightprojectsltd#p/u/0/_Kljhr3g3Ds. My next stop is London.
Leni Schwendinger
Light Projects LTD - creating wondrous spaces with light worldwide
Good lighting.
As an amateur astronomer, I definitely concur that our lighting is horrible and as a result, very wasteful. And doesn't light properly. The IDSA is my preferred source.
Best,
D