Urban Spaces: the Role of Lighting as an Essential Part of Social Interaction

摘要

Public spaces play a key role in defining the character and success of a city. They come in all shapes and sizes from small, hidden pockets of the city to grand historical plazas and squares. They have noticeably different characters and some are more popular than others. In fact, some are social magnets, while others remain largely empty (Ramos and Steemers), Creating a 'successful' public space, one that attracts a variety of people and serves as a community meeting ground, is currently the study of many urban designers, The factors of accessibility, permeability, sightlines, landmarks and amenity provision provide a recipe for successful public spaces. However, what is often overlooked is that these spaces have two distinct personalities, by day and by night. Using the example of two well known, contrasting London squares; this paper offers an investigation into the night-time visual environment created by electric lighting and the impact it has on urban public spaces and the people who use them.