Lighting in Design November-December 2015

Not that this is always a good thing. “In Hong Kong these large scale lighting systems have been installed on buildings with seemingly little thought as to what the visual content is. Skyscrapers have been left with what I assume to be the default 'rainbow' test pattern running rather than showing any curatorial or contextual interests,” says Domi- nic Harris, director of Cinimod Studio, which develops façade lighting systems. Hong Kong’s lighting success has resulted in a backlash. 'Lights Out Hong Kong' is a campaign protesting against all this extrane- ous lighting pollution, and first urged people to switch off their lights at 8pm on 8/8/2006 in protest. Donald Tsang, Hong Kong’s chief executive, refused to delay the Symphony of Lights as the campaign would, "give adverse publicity to Hong Kong as an international me- tropolis and a major tourist attraction." Around the world, façade lighting has become a bit like all those flashing glitz and marquee-effects on early ‘90s websites. “Only a few lighting designers exploit the possibility of providing aesthetically elegant, resource-saving lighting that costs relatively little. Poorly planned façade lighting is be- coming an increasingly serious problem that affects the aesthetic appearance of nocturnal landscapes as well as creatures that are active at night, such as insects and migrating birds. Large portions of the deployed light often miss the façade in question and the luminance levels used are often considerably higher than necessary,” says Dr Thomas Posch of the In- ternational Dark Sky Association. And the free-for-all as building owners have looked to create new revenue streams through hosting vast advertising screens has added to the clamour. Many cities, overwhelmed by massed public advertising video displays, have begun to ban new ones. But that doesn’t mean designers aren’t aware of the irritation that pulsing light can have on residents and modern architectural lighting makes it easier to ensure that these criteria are baked in from the beginning. That means designers have had to become subtler.The Media Architecture Biennale does its best to recognise more carefully designed façade lighting. Realities:united, a German firm, took two awards in 2012. It integrated its lighting designs into the overall building concept and planning process, and developed a story-driven context for the lighting. The installation at Kunsthaus

Kunsthaus Graz, Germany. Image courtesy: openbuildings.com

Iluma, Singapore Image courtesy: mondaywanderings.wordpress.com

Tribute in Light, NewYork Image courtesy: metro.co.uk

LiD 11-12/15

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