Lighting

View from back of woman walking on well-lit small paved path at night.

How Effective Street Lighting Improves Women’s Mobility

A lack of effective lighting in streets, parks, and transit stations limits the places where many women and other vulnerable groups feel safe traveling at night.

September 10, 2024 - The Guardian

Empty street with crosswalk lit by two tall street lights at night.

Study: Crosswalk Lighting Radically Improves Pedestrian Safety

In what should come as a surprise to no one, drivers are much more likely to yield to pedestrians when they can actually see them.

August 4, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Aerial view of main tower and buildings at University of Texas, Austin.

Austin Bans Windowless Bedrooms

Thousands of University of Texas students live in rooms with no natural light. Many report detrimental mental and physical health impacts.

May 26, 2024 - Daily Legal News

"Stop - Pedestrians in crosswalk" sign in white and red lights.

Video: Zeroing in on Nighttime Traffic Deaths

Three in four pedestrian deaths in the United States happen at night.

May 5, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Nighttime view of U.S. Capitol and blurred traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue

D.C. Residents Fight Light Pollution

New LED lighting has raised concerns about the health and environmental impacts of excessive or harsh lighting.

May 30, 2023 - Route Fifty

Nightime Street

Illuminated Futures

The city that never sleeps depends on 396,572 street lights. As bright white LEDs replace the familiar amber glow, what does tomorrow (night) hold?

June 22, 2018 - Urban Omnibus

Bustang

Commuting to Denver from Colorado Springs Gets Easier

Thanks to Bustang, an interregional bus service that began July 13, commuters can relax in reclining, high-back chairs or choose to plug their devices into outlets and utilize wifi for the 69-mile trip between Colorado's two largest cities.

January 4, 2016 - The Gazette (Colorado Springs)

Lighting Designers Project a Bright Future for Our Cities

Utilizing new approaches and new technologies for illuminating the built environment, lighting designers are helping to create safer, more dynamic, and more accessible cities.

May 27, 2013 - The Architect's Newspaper

Lighting Revolution Produces Radiant Visions of Our Future

The technological advances transforming "Edison’s 130-year-old industry" promise to revolutionize the way light is integrated in our homes, workplaces, and cities.

April 26, 2013 - The New York Times

Looking Back to Find the Road Ahead

In the wake of massive power outages in the Northeast, lighting designer Linnaea Tillett describes pre-industrial techniques for lighting and wayfinding that just might be worth revisiting.

November 18, 2012 - Metropolis POV Blog

Delighting in Urban Light

Photographer Colin Rich created this mesmerizing video of the endless urban fabric of Los Angeles at night.

August 4, 2011 - Vimeo

Lighting Up the Public Realm

This video from Public Architecture looks at three outdoor lighting displays and their impact on the public realm in San Francisco.

May 26, 2011 - Public Architecture

The Effect of Light on an Environment

Natural and artificial light have a significant effect on the experience of hospital patients and can actually reduce stress and hospital time, says Rosalyn Cama, an interior designer and researcher specializes in health care design.

May 10, 2011 - Metropolis Magazine

Cities of Light

Leni Schwendinger says that cities don't pay enough attention to the way lighting effects the built environment. She's currently working on the lighting for Times Square's new pedestrianized streets.

October 8, 2010 - ASLA's The Dirt blog

Solar-lit Footbridge Opens in Brisbane

Last month saw the debut of one of the world's longest footbridges, which also happens to be 100% solar-powered. 36,500 people are projected to walk across the bridge each week.

November 6, 2009 - Inhabitat

Lighting Fighting Crime

Fighting gang crime in Los Angeles is as easy as leaving the lights on at neighborhood parks.

July 13, 2009 - The New York Times

New York City: Light it Right

What light is right? How much is too much? These questions don't typically get asked in cities, as they simply rely on what they've always done. But now the Municipal Art Society in New York is bringing these issues to the table.

March 29, 2009 - The New Yorker

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.