Urban Revitalisation through Lighting Design

Historically, Venice was a vibrant city but this former bustle can today only be found during the day and, even then, in some parts of the city. An improved lighting system could encourage activity after dark, as well as it would improve the feeling of safety, enhance the aesthetic appearance of the city, reduce light pollution and save energy. The difficulties of planning lighting for Venice are great due to its rich history and unique location, and also the conflicts that exist between different groups in society such as locals, tourists, professional workers, shop and restaurant owners and conservationists. At the same time the lighting should fit into context. A spatial analysis of Venice and its current lighting formed the basis for the lighting masterplan with guidelines which aims at creating harmonious and historically appropriate lighting. The guidelines were applied to one of the many squares in the city, as it is the traditional meeting place, and based the detailed lighting proposal for the site. This book was written as a Masters thesis with both students and professionals interested in lighting design in mind.