How Light Helped Remake Downtown Philadelphia

Neal Peirce looks at how Philadelphia has used light to help transform the image, and fortunes, of Center City.

2 minute read

January 18, 2013, 11:00 AM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


City Hall Philadelphia

DMZ111 / Flickr

If you haven't been to Philadelphia recently, you may not be aware that Paris might have a new rival for its famous moniker. "America’s birthplace city," says Peirce, "now shines with an ingenious mix of lights designed to please and inspire residents and visitors alike. Center-city street lights have been rescaled for pedestrians’ pleasure and safety. Buildings and statuary along the grand Benjamin Franklin Parkway, stretching from City Hall to the Philadelphia Art Museum, are bathed in carefully crafted, state-of-the-art illumination."

"And running south from City Hall, along South Broad, the city’s 'Avenue of the Arts,' several theaters and private buildings are now illuminated every half hour each evening by ingeniously programmed LED lights. The form is far from static: the LEDs, their projections constantly shifting color and form, play on and celebrate the architectural features of each building, even while they’re coordinated with each other to create a single inspiring 'show.'"

But only two decades ago, the area that is now flooded with young professionals, families, shops, and restaurants was "in sad shape." Under the guidance of Paul Levy, founding chief executive of the Philadelphia’s Center City District, the area "made a clean and safe, people-friendly downtown its top priority." And central to this transformation was improving the lighting. 

"Did advanced lighting 'make' the plan for Center City Philadelphia rejuvenation? No – basic safety and order came first," writes Peirce. But there's no doubt that the improved street lighting and dramatic architectural lighting has been a key element in changing the area's image.

"[T]he value to any city, in building its business identity – but even more in building residents’ appreciation and enjoyment, the feeling one lives in a special place – is hard to overestimate," concludes Peirce. "The city is light, it’s animation, it’s dramatized, eye-catching architecture."

Thursday, January 17, 2013 in Citiwire

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Washington

Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing

A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.

May 1 - Streetsblog USA

Bluebird sitting on branch of green bush.

Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire

Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.

May 1 - AP News

1984 Olympics

LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles

LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.

May 1 - Newsweek

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.