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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 2006

Formed by the CityDubbeltoren Waternet

Light und Urban ArchitectureNo More Light?

City LightIndividual Case or Master Plan

w w w. t r i l u x . c o . u k

L i g h t f o r a e r i a l i s t s 3lux:lettersTheArchitectureMagazine

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2006

Lightand

Urban

Architecture

T h e A r c h i t e c t u r e M a g a z i n e


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edit

orial

editorial

7 9 23

02

I would like to thank all of you for the extremely posi-

tive and highly motivating reactions to the first issue

of 3lux:letters. Launching a new magazine is always a

significant challenge and your feedback has shown us

that we have achieved a level that would appear both

to be interesting and also useful to you.

Light has long been a way of expressing emotion and

comfort in the interior environment. Unfortunately,

light in the exterior environment is often still regarded

as nothing more than a generic necessity. Yet it is

more than that light should form part of the urban

landscape. Product design and the general aesthetics

are of enormous importance they are a part of the

urban scene and as such, always on show. Lighting

for exterior areas not only can but also should be as

emotional as lighting for interiors is. For drivers, good

lighting improves the ability to react and enhances

concentration. For pedestrians, light doesnt only aid

in the recognition of the surroundings but also plays a

significant role in terms of safety.

The maxim is seeing things, and being seen. In this

second issue of 3lux:letters, we would like to offer a

variety of views and philosophies in terms of both

theory and practice with regard to exterior illuminati-

on. History and future are united, with the single goal

of offering new directions in the conception of urban

lighting design.

My warmest regards,

Richard Taylor, Director Projects

Dear Readers,

Cover photo: Satellite picture

of Europe by night.

Photo: W.T. Sullivan III &

Hansen Planetarium /

Science Photo Library /

Agentur Focus

02


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TRILUX

3lux:letters 2 | 2006

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Light andUrban Architecture

illuminated: Kitchen Z.Island by Zaha Hadid; World Press Photo

Award; LichtRouten, Ldenscheid; Renault Traffic Design Award;

Luminous Buildings: Architecture of the night, Stuttgart; Light Museum

Wettersdorf, Walldrn; Absence of Fear.

commented: Ligth and Urban Architecture: Music for the Eyes!

Gerd Pfarr, Pfarr Lighting Design, Munich.

sighted: The Brightest Star in the Firmament.

focused: No More Light?Ulrike Brandi and Christoph Geissmar-Brandi

about the illumination of the city.

observed: City Light and Country Light

looked into: Answers from Michael Batz (light artist, film director and

writer), Daniel Kas (RKW Rhode Kellermann Wawrowsky) and Gabriele

Allendorf (light news).

formed by the city: City Satellite - Dubbeltoren in Amsterdam by

Architectuurstudio Herman Hertzberger in Amsterdam.

reported: Photographic competition a life in light; new EU lighting stan-

dard; Ernst Wauer (Police Essen) about light and crime prevention.

considered: Exterior luminaire Lumega by Rino Bossy.

visited: Capital of Light 2010 Essen; 114 kW, Schirn Kunsthalle,

Frankfurt/ Main; Polylit, Stuttgart; Blue Goals, Hamburg.

researched: Three books on the theme Light and Urban Architecture.

investigated: How were theatre stages lit before electric light was

invented?

Imprint

views

statement

memo

spot

impression

reflection

architecture

work

art

reading

source


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views

Exhibition series:

World Press Photo Award

Awardees, locations and dates under:

www.worldpressphoto.nl

Light stands for hope. Hardly any other image can illustrate this symbolism more

clearly than the photograph, for which the French photographer Olivier Jobardwas awarded the World Press Photo Award 2006 in the category Contemporary

Issues / Stories. Jobard accompanied a 22-year-old Cameroonian on his illegal

boat trip to Europe organized by people smugglers. The photographs awarded

at the World Press Photo Award are being presented until the end of this year

in a touring exhibition in more than 45 cities around the world. The World Press

Photo Award was originally initiated in 1955 by members of the Dutch Union of

Photo-Journalists (NVF). On the occasion of the 50th anniversary the organizers

have published the book Things as They Are Photojournalism in Context Since

1955 in December 2005. The English version was published by the Aperture

publishing house, the Dutch version by SDU Uitgeverij.

Photo:OlivierJobard/SipaPress/ParisMatch

Photos:DuPontCorian

Kitchen design:

Z.Island

Prototype

Information under

www.dupont.com, Search word:

Hadid

www.corian.com

We dont know if Zaha Hadid likes

to cook in her spare time. Anyway,

she has conceived a kitchen for

the DuPont corporate group in

familiar futuristic design, which will

be presented in spring at the Milan

Design Week. It consists of a bar

module, a modular storage

system, wall panelling, and two

functional islands made from white

Corian mineral material: The FireIsland (left image) includes a

cooking area, a hot plate as well

as a board computer with LCD

screen and a touch-control panel

with more than 2000 LEDs. The

hexagonal Water Island contains

all functional units required for

washing up. The curved wall

panels, which are backlit with RGB

LEDs, can be set oscillating with

special actuators, thus functioning

as loudspeakers. For the time

being, the Z.Island Kitchen remains

a prototype due to technical

problems.

04 view

s


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3lux:letters 2 | 2006 05

statement

Gerd Pfarr

Pfarr Lighting Design, Munich

www.lichtplanung.com

Image: Globus Store, Zurich

A few years ago, a drummer from my circle of acquaintances was interested in

the profession of the lighting planner. What do you actually do? he asked me.

After I had briefly explained our job outline, he responded spontaneously: O

well, you produce music for the eyes!

Light for urban architecture is also light for the city, and that should indeed be

as harmonious and balanced as good Jazz. Unfortunately such quality can only

be perceived on rare occasions. The public consciousness for well-illuminated

objects and urban spaces however is growing continuously. Until now, light forarchitecture, landscape and city was predominantly applied under functional

aspects. Strangely enough, as it is Germany that has a long-standing and dis-

tinct history with regards to good design. Good-quality exterior light however

implies more than simply stage-managing a building and sophisticatedly empha-

size architecture.

As lighting planners we are able to formulate high-quality urban and open

spaces in the dark; a balanced structure from lit buildings and dazzling-restrict-

edly illuminated streets, green areas, embankments, and squares convey urban

identity, security, and calmness; exterior spaces for encounter and all kinds of

urban activities are generated. High-quality light brings people together.

Last but not least: In the way we can enjoy music, we should learn to enjoy our

architecture and urban fabric, also in the evening.

Light and Urban Architecture:

Music for the Eyes!

Photo:AndreasJ.Focke,

Mnchen

Light-Event:

LichtRouten LdenscheidSeptember 22nd to

Oktober 1st 2006

Contact:

Ldenscheider Stadtmarketing-

gesellschaft mbH

[email protected]

www.lichtrouten.de

Two much-heeded works of the 2004

LightRoutes were created by Peter

Brdenk and Jrgen LIT Fischer with

Light-Arboretum 2010 (left) and

Gottfried Schumacher and Karin

Veldhues with Libreria (below).

The curators Bettina Pelz and Tom

Groll referred to the LichtRouten asEulogy of Light, which will this

autumn take place in Ldenscheid for

the fourth time. With renowned light

artists and designers such as

Magdalena Jetelov, Nan Hoover,

Mischa Kuball, or Belzner Holmes, the

LightRoutes have caused national

sensations since their premiere in

2002. Theme of the 2006 event will

be the citys cultural remembrance,

which is tremendously complex espe-

cially in an old industrial city like

Ldenscheid. Well-known places of

remembrance such as cemeteries

and memorials were stage-managed

with light, unknown locations worth

commemoration are made visible andartistic interventions on the theme

remembrance are installed in the

city. Once again one or the other

installation, which will be created on

the occasion of LightRoutes, will defi-

nitely become a permanent compo-

nent of Ldenscheids cityscape.


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06

Image: Pistol Star with nebula.

Photograph from the Hubble Space

Telescope, 1997

views

The Brightest Star in the Firmament

memoImprint

Issued by:

TRILUX-LENZE GmbH + Co KG

Heidestrae

D59759 Arnsberg

[email protected]

www.trilux.de

Editorial staff:

Vivian Hollmann (TRILUX)

Richard Taylor (TRILUX)

Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Geuder (GKT)

Dipl.-Ing. Katja Pfeiffer (GKT)

Dipl.-Ing. Jakob Schoof (GKT)

Publisher:

Gesellschaft fr Knowhow-Transfer in

Architektur und Bauwesen mbH

Fasanenweg 18

D-70771 Leinfelden-Echterdingenwww.ait-online.de

Translation:

murphy translation office, Hamburg

Sprachendienst Dr. Herrlinger, Kirchentellinsfurt

This magazine and all its contributions and

pictures are protected by copyright. The publis-

her and editors accept not responsibility for

unsolicited pictures and manuscripts. Colour

and dimensional deviations correspond to the

usual tolerances. Subject to colour and model

changes. Should publication not be possible for

technical reasons or force majeure, all delivery

obligations shall expire.

Printed in Germany

Free subscription of the architectural magazine

3lux:letters: Please send a short email including

your postal address to [email protected] or

add a note with your (please readable) address

to the title and fax it to:

+49 2932 301 375 oder +49 711 7591 410

Photo:DonF.

Figer/UCLA/NASA

Douglas Adams taught us that

different proportions compared to

our solar system are valid in dis-

tant space: In this novel The

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxyextra-terrestrials get rid of the

Earth in order to make room for a

hyperspace by-pass. NASA-

scientists have found a scientific

proof for extra-terrestrial megalo-

mania with the Hubble Space

Telescope: The so-called Pistol

Star so called due to t he promi-

nently shaped nebula surrounding

it is the object with the strongest

luminous power at the firmament.

It is located close to the centre of

our galaxy and has the proud

diameter of four light-years,

equalling the distance between the

sun and nearest star, Alpha

Centauri. Its luminous power is no

less than the 10-million-fold of the

suns luminosity.

Competition:

Renault Traffic Design Award

Latest date for entries: Juli 31th

2006

Jury session: September 2006

Award ceremony: Dezember 2006

Informationen unter

www.renault-traffic-design.de

Two awardees 2005:

above: 50 km/ h Art in the Tunnel,

Stuttgart; artist: Nikolaus Koliusis,

Stuttgart

right:

Temporary motorway chapel

Christophorus, motorway services

Zweidorfer Holz North;

Design: Wilke Mennerich/

Sandi Morese, Hamburg/ Braunschweig

This year the Renault Traffic Design

Award for forward-looking traffic

structures has been initiated for the

seventh time. Architects, town plan-

ners, and students can submit their

projects until 31st July. The selection

of award-winners is done by an eight-

member jury of experts under the

chairmanship of Prof. Thomas

Sieverts. The prize to be won is a

sculpture by the Dsseldorf artistThomas Schnauer, which was espe-

cially designed for this competition.

The winners in the university competi-

tion, which has Future Roads Roads

as Spatial Systems Re-defined as a

motto, can expect 10000 Euros each.

In 2006 an expert audience prize will

be awarded for the first time: Fourteen

awarded objects from the competi-

tions 2002 until 2005 are listed on the

Internet page of the Federal Chamber

of Architects (www.bak.de). The asso-

ciation calls upon all architects and

town planers to determine The Best

of the Bests from this selection.Photo:NikolausKoliusis,

Stuttgart

Photo:Mennerich/Morese,

Hamburg/Braunschweig


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In spring 2004 the then 18-year old Daniel Erler from Frankfurt started to travel and

document Europes underground railway stations. Until now he has provided access

to the results of his passion for collecting to the public on the website

www.absence-of-fear.de. The website includes characteristics of underground rail-

way stations from 42 European and Asian local area networks (including year of

construction and architect), a Top-10 list of the most beautiful stations (headed

by Canary Wharf Station in London), a glossary of the most significant underground

railway architects and lighting planners, a list of secret bunkers and closed down

stations, which were realized in connection with the construction of underground

railway lines, as well as countless statistics. High-quality and less successful exam-

ples for architecture and lighting design of underground railway stations are evalu-

ated here (quite subjectively) and can be studied on numerous photographs.

Website:

www.absence-of-fear.de

Photographs and information on the

underground railway stations in 42

cities in 19 countries.

Photos:DanielErler

Photo:WalterFrenzl

The Kunstmuseum Stuttgart by the

architectural practice Hascher und

Jehle places a prominent accentuation

in the cityscape of Baden-Wrttem-

bergs capital. The glazed cube, which

is illuminated at night, seems to be

created for the exhibition Luminour

Buildings: Architecture of the Night.

For the very first time the theme of

architectural illumination in the muse-

um context is thoroughly worked up:The exhibition includes, in its scope, the

world exhibitions of the 19th century,

during which the wonder of electrici-

ty was initially presented to a larger

group of people, the classic modernity

and the propagandistic stage-manage-

ment of light by the National Socialists

as well our present time. The exhibits

include illuminated models (for exam-

ple the La Salle Wacker Building in

Chicago), photographs (Alfred

Stieglitz), paintings (Reinhold Ngele,

Otto Dix), visionary designs (Hans

Scharoun, left: Bruno Taut), and archi-

tectural light sculptures.

Exhibition :

Luminous Buildings:

Architecture of the Night

June 9th to October 1st 2006

Kunstmuseum Stuttgart

Opening Hours:

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and

Sunday: 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.

Wednesday and Friday:

10.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.

www.kunstmuseum-stuttgart.deModelmaking:WolfgangKnoll+IldikoFrels.

Photo:Han

s-JoachimHeyer+BorisMiklautsch/KusntmuseumStuttgart

For many years, Walter Frenzl from Walldrn in the Odenwald has compiled an

unusual and diversified private collection: The Wettersdorf Museum of Lightscomprises about 2000 exhibits in 60 groups, documenting lighting technology

before the advent of electricity: lanterns, lamps, candelabras, wick-scissors,

lighters, match holders, wax tapers, candles, and paintings. The collection is

complemented with providers of light from distant countries. The admission to

the museum in Wettersdorf, a district of Walldrn, is free; donations for the

museums organization and for new acquisition are however gladly accepted. On

request the initiator Walter Frenzl offers introductory lectures as well as guided

tours for groups. The museums homepage itself is worth seeing, where a series

of links to the objects of interest and landmarks around Walldrn invites for day-

excursions into the medieval surrounding.

Permanent exhibition:

Wettersdorf Museum of Lights

open from April to October,

on Sundays 14.00 to 17.00 a.m.

Entrance: free

Odenwaldstrae, 74731 Walldrn

Tel. 06282/8518

[email protected]

www.lichtermuseum.de


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What significance does light have in the city? What requirements

must it meet? Who needs light?First of all, light at night is important for drivers. The major part of

the city illumination is directed towards streets and roads.

Consequently the city reveals itself by night to the majority of its

residents in the light of asphalt routes, which are travelled by car.

Every evening the motorized traffic forms a rising and subsiding

stream, which abates late at night, until the roads and junctions

finally appear in an even light.

What are the lighting conditions that city dwellers experience? Is the

treatment of light symptomatic for the way people live? Probably

not. Light remains a topical theme, especially if one aims to

improve it. As soon as it becomes dark, the majority of city dwellers

live in a slush of light: with the standard streetlight in front of t heirapartments, which is normally characterized by an undifferentiated

brightness, and with the often diffuse, sometimes unsteady light

conditions in their flats. The TV-set frequently plays the role of a

new campfire, a light around which everyone likes to crowd as in

primeval times past.

Paradigmatic therefore are false mental structures of many people,

who are involved with light. An increase in luminaires automatically

leads to more light and consequently better business. The situa-

tion is somehow comparable to that of the automobile: There are

simply too many in the city. Nevertheless they are still fun.

However, this does not improve the general conditions. An improve-

ment will only be achieved, when urban lighting will once again beplanned with care and caution and even exceed a good standard in

designated areas as a special feature. Working towards this objec-

tive means to use the existing design possibilities of lighting. As

NO MORE LIGHT?Slowly people are coming to the conclusion that an excess of lightrather results in a slush of light than in a sensible illumination of thecity. Significant parameters for light planners are therefore not solelythe location, but also space and time, as well as darkness.

By Ulrike Brandi and Christoph Geissmar-Brandi

Photo:KennethC.

Zirkel

sp

ot

08

Right page:

View from Arc de Triomphe on theAvenue des Champs-lyses in Paris.Numerous boutiques and showrooms

are located on the 71 metres wideand 1915 metres long boulevard,

which with their luminous advertisingbrightly light up the road.

spot


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lighting can help to generate a perceptible added value for existing

buildings and maintain a fascinating quality, it bears a decidedchance for the desirable and due renewal of our city life.

Light therefore has to become a quality for city users, a stimulus

to be in the city. In order to achieve this objective, there are two,

partially contradictory strategies. One line aims at the promotion of

the contemporary event culture, the other at the continuous differ-

entiation of city illumination, practically an advancement of the

cityscape. Both approaches have a fundamental potential in city

illumination.

Light as Event

Events in themselves attract people and activate the city. Contrary

to the traditional frontal performances in opera-houses, theatres,and cinemas, event attendees actively participate in the activit ies,

sometimes they are actually part of it (renowned examples are the

mega events such as Love Parade or Christopher Street Day).

Such events are pure public and they happen in the city centres.

This festivalization of city events, as critics describe the phenom-

enon, is also applicable at night. Temporary event lighting acts as

a catalyst for the activities; it inspires the participants. This lighting

is often coloured and manoeuvrable, like in a theatre. The city or its

squares quasi become stages, the faades form the (always identi-

cal) setting. There are intermediate forms, where the forms of event

lighting are firmly installed and tend to be repeated every night or

at fixed times. The illumination of the Paris Eiffel Tower depicts this.Presently the Parisians transform their citys landmark into some

kind of glittering lollipop for five minutes every full hour at night.

Before this phase of light glitter the tower was illuminated in red and

yellow. The many interviewed Parisians expressed approval: They

have nothing against temporarily transforming the tower into acolourful toy.

Space and Time

The other approach refines the city illumination, in order to create

more intensity. The groundbreaking thought behind this is to abol-

ish the existing partition of traffic lighting on the roads and in

pedestrian areas and the faade illumination, shop-window lighting,

and neon signs, in order to achieve an integral appearance, which

simultaneously reflects the genius loci. This is more demanding,

than the play with gay colours, and is more difficult to realize.

With this design principle the light planner principally moves in two

dimensions. He considers the temporal and spatial dimension.Artif icial light in the exterior is predominantly a matter of great con-

cern at nighttimes. Evenings and mornings as well as seasonal

shifts generate many recurrent transitional situations. Light

changes. Additionally the necessity for seasonal light arises.

Spatially a city reveals itself at first with its accesses at a large

scale via its traffic axes. When the scale is reduced, questions of

possible perspectives and differentiation are addressed. When the

scale is reduced further, one notionally approaches the dimensions

of ones own body and its immediate surrounding. This can be city

squares, which can be surveyed by foot, but also by car, with

which one waits in a traffic jam. All these are common urban

situations.A new lighting should re-invent the night for city goers. That is,

phrased slightly exaggerated, the actual objective. Marketing peo-

ple would say that the aim is to prolong the duration of ones stay


10/43

10

spot

Part of the Swan (cygnus) con-stellation. Views like this one are

already rarely possible in the city,because the lights for the city also

lighten the sky.

Opposite page:

Galaxy Bar on the Hilton Hotel roofterrace in Athens. Ahead of the 2004Olympic Games the building, whichwas completed in 1972, was com-pletely renovated and received a new

lighting concept, which puts thearchitecture taking reference fromthe citys Byzantine history into per-spective. The light installation wasawarded at the 2005 IALD-Award.

in the city. A revival of the nightlife of the Roaring Twenties easily

crosses ones mind, a legendary time of public light, which ispresently being repeated in China and in the East Asian Tiger

States: light without end. Recent newspapers report that Shanghai

considers switching off neon signs, because the energy to operate

them is insufficient. These global trends exist. They put their trust

in the fascination of brightness and try to turn the night into the day,

which is no doubt attractive.

City Lighting Planning

Considerate planning puts its trust in darkness, in the opposite. It

conceives light reciprocally, not glistening colourful, bright, com-

peting with each other, but as initialisation for changing daytimes

and seasons. That does not mean that a dark city is intended. Ithowever means that the lighting planner not simply follows the

requirements and specifications of cityscapes, but also those of

natural lighting conditions. The contemporary lighting planner does

not perceive his lighting design as a solitaire; he is however aiming

at a concept integrating the human being, the city, and the daytime.

Whenever someone wants to design with light, one initially tries to

understand the day and night cycles of the respective location.

The starting point is dawn. In the morning the lights are switched

off; due to extended shopping hours the entire city activities are

shifted towards nightfall, towards the period of the Blue Hour and

even later, depending on the season. In these first moments city

lighting can be predominately selective, that means assigning lightto important squares and buildings, the citys well-known accentua-

tions. In the following phase the pedestrian routes as well as access

and departure routes have to be considered. Gate situations are

to be created, thus indicating, whereto life is moving. The final

aspect is the street illumination, with lights being lit by and by, mak-ing the night attractive and safe. By then it is completely dark, all

planned hierarchies of light are completely activated, and orienta-

tion is clear. The immediate surrounding has no dark corners and is

entirely visible. Upwards, f rom the first, second storey already, the

light noticeably thins out, thus generating a clear, however secure

light space. The majority of attractive lightness is created with

reflections on various materials, including the ground. The lamps

radiate in graduated white. Some light is provided from the build-

ings interior. The intensity should be as homogeneous as possible,

shop-windows are not glistening brighter than their exterior sur-

rounding. First of all they should not radiate direct light onto the

street. Colour is generated through the lighting of the displayedmerchandise.

In the course of the night the accentuation lighting, with which the

illumination cycle began, gradually retreats. The general, secure

light remains until daybreak. This would be a possible scenario

arranged for one day and one night, the 24-hour-rhythm.

Christmas illumination has always existed, the basic type of tempo-

rary lighting, which is geared to the seasons of the year as well as

of trade and commerce. It is very cost-intensive to operate, but

meets the interest of the residents. Many individual themes have

been discussed: The temporary illumination of water areas, foun-

tains or parks enjoy a new popularity and is often reminiscent of

practically lasting Baroque stage-managements, which were 250years ago available for just one night with thousands of candles. In

the seasonal rhythm these are temporary, preferably recurrent

types of illumination and modified switch cycles. A beautiful spe-

Photo:HiltonInternational2004

Photo:MichaelPuerzer


11/43


ciality can on the contrary be a permanently installed lighting for

seasonal enjoyment, for example ice-surfaces or temporary poolsand beaches.

Light and Space

The details of possible designs can only be discussed when the sec-

ond approach to good quality lighting in the city has been

addressed, the spatial dimensions. This is the substance of the

LightSpace design model, namely a caesura in the transit move-

ment in the city and therefore the respective potential. The trav-

ellers change from car (aeroplane, train, public transport) to walk-

ing marks this caesura. The ensuing possibilities solely result for

the city centres or limited shopping areas; at the moment these are

as a rule areas and districts where according to the will of citycouncils, chambers of commerce, of Public Private Partnerships

(PPP) or (planned in Germany) Business Improvement Districts (BID)

the new city lighting should be intelligently planned and realized.

Virtually these are the old market squares with a new appearance.

Unfortunately the lighting design for rooms is separated into two

areas: streetscape and pedestrian area. This however would be

quite wrong, this separation has to be overcome. The design con-

cept must achieve a continuous consolidation of the light impres-

sion. The intensity of light could become more and more intense in

the centres. This does not mean making light brighter and even

more powerful. It is about the nuances of light, its presence on the

street and squares in its relative significance. The existing light canmake the existing surrounding so clear and visible that it reveals

itself step by step to everyone strolling about at night on the streets

as immediate surrounding, thereby generating a comfortable

atmosphere. From the relative distance the light in the centres must

be strong enough to have a prestigious effect and convey a lastingappeal. Additionally light delimits previously defined areas. Strong

local light should be possible as exceptional or chaotic in its posi-

tioning, without disturbing the overall picture. Unfortunately, the

existing installations and appliances are far from achieving this.

From: Light for Cities A Guide to Lighting Planning in Urban Spaces, Ulrike Brandi and

Christoph Geissmar-Brandi, Birkhuser Verlag, 2006. Publishing date: September 2006.

By courtesy of Ulrike Brandi Licht and Birkhuser/ Springer-Verlag.

Ulrike Brandi is owner-manager of Ulrike Brandi Licht in Hamburg. She stu-died Romance studies at Hamburg University and Industrial Design at HamburgCollege of Fine Arts (HfbK). As light planner for artificial and daylight in buil-

dings and external areas she has realized more than 250 projects in Europeand Asia. Lectureships at Dsseldorf University of Applied Sciences andBrunswick College of Fine Arts, as well as numerous seminars, lectures andpublications complement her work.Christoph Geissmar-Brandi is a free-lance curator in Hamburg. He studiedart history, literature, and psychology at Hamburg University. The art historianDr. phil. M.A. realised exhibitions and congresses in Vienna and Tokyo, wrotenumerous publications and developed the L.E.O.S. software (light, energy opti-mization and service). www.ulrike-brandi.de


12/43

12

impression

View to the west from the John Han-

cock Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Architects: Skidmore, Owings &

Merrill LLP (SOM), Chicago

On the 100th floor of the black and

multi-functional first-class business

building built in 1970, known as Big

John, is the visitors platform. From

here, you can enjoy the wide view

over the third largest city in the USA

with its chess-board pattern of roads.

City Light


13/43


Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel

It is not now about simply overcoming the darkness, but about an increasingly

richer realisation of light itself (...) An absolute delirium of light unequalled by

the imaginary brilliance of fairy tales from the past, will illuminate the cities of

the future.Walter Riezler (1878-1965), 1928, Honorary Professor in the history of modern music, University of Munich, musicologist, art historian, city museum direc-

tor, member of the Deutscher Werkbund and publisher of the magazine Die Form.


14/43

14

impression

Sunset over Antelope Island in Utah,

USA.

The rocky island with its bizarrely ero-

ded silhouette forms a contrast to the

expansive 4400 square kilometre

Great Salt Lake. Antelope Island is the

largest of the ten islands in the Utah

State Park System, a region characte-

rised by extreme and changeable weat-

her conditions and many diverse geo-

logical features.

Country Light


15/43


Photo: Larry Hansen

Day is almost but not yet done, tensed with the final moments of direct contact

between sun and earth, and with the death throes of a dazzling star. There is a

last kiss, a fleeting touch, and a parting farewell as the sun finally faces the world

and slips away.Henry Plummer, in: Poetics of Light, Light and Time, a+u Extra Edition 12/ 1987


16/43

reflection

re

fle

ctio

n

Michael Batz

Light artist, film director, writer, Executive

Committee Foundation for Vibrant Cities

Michael Batz: The lighting of materially enclosed spaces has

always tried to achieve the ideal of an immaterial light room. Since

the night scenarios of Modernism the relationship between these

elements shifts more and more towards the dynamic, temporary,

and stage-managed possibilities of lighting. The night image gene-

rated with artificial lighting has considerably gained importance,

because it expresses a characteristic of energy and has effects

beyond the daylighting function. Glass architecture directly aims at

stage-managements by night, at categories such as lightness,

transparency, hovering and reflection, which do not draw reference

from the expression of the masonry, but from the aesthetics of illu-

strations. Artificial light is therefore no longer an additional applica-

tion reduced to functional aspects; it is the central architectural

category of the night.

Le Corbusier once put it in a nutshell: The ele-

ments of architecture are light and shadow, wall

and room. Nothing else can be added here. Inyour opinion, what significance has artificial light

amongst these fundamentals of architecture?

16

INQUIRED3lux:letters asked three renowned planners

about Light and Urban Architecture.


17/43


18/43

18

reflection

Photo:MichaelBatz

Complex in Friedrichsborn (historic mill, now literature center), Unna

Michael Batz: Cities are not simply illuminated settlement areas,

and light does not solely serve the primary provision of the human

visual function. Lighting planning can learn: That light is not only a

medium of brightness, but primarily also of design, which implies a

thinking of contrasts, tonal values, luminance, and relational percep-

tions. Not illuminance, but the graduation of luminance generates a

coherent and qualitative picture. The co-ordination of light structures

and the avoidance of the mostly reciprocal listlessness of lighting

systems are foundations of urban light culture. Light art must not

learn anything; as an art it is free. It cannot hurt to acquire an orien-

tation regarding contexts and commercial attention strategies and to

differentiate clearly between permanent lighting and temporary

stage-management. Mediocrity and crude city furnishing with lighting

objects is always detrimental.

Michael Batz: A master plan as a basis for communication is

generally necessary in order to list basic principles systematically,

such as objective and programme. A master plan in this sense is

rather a set of regulations with view to reality than an abstract

catalogue of regulations. The lighting designer basically acts as a

mediator between interests and opinions.

In the illumination of our cities a change of values

has become apparent for in recent years, which

manoeuvres aside the usual set of standards and

regulations towards an aesthetization of light.

Where do you see the intersections, where lighting

planning and light art can learn from one another?

The lighting master plan of cities is often subject

to different interests, which are contradicting a

harmonious appearance. Are lighting master plans

necessary from your viewpoint, and how can you

as a planner contribute to their implementation?


19/43


Photo:AnsgarMariavanTreek

Photo:DorotheeHaering

Daniel Kas: My impression is that more selectivity is necessary

especially between lighting planning and light art. On one hand we

need expert planners, who are perfectly informed about the market,

competent in lighting engineering and can equally communicate in

design matters. These are high demands, which to fulfil would be

well worth doing. On the other hand we are interested in light artists,

who are able to impart an artistic depth to the medium light. For a

long time James Turrell has led the way. The active cooperation of

light artists in new lighting master plans for our cities illustrates the

artists talent to react to the actual problems of our times and place

them in the centre of their work. As a result the so-called light art

from Bordeaux to Hamburg unfortunately too often mutates into

aesthetizingly designed educational lighting trails. A strong commu-

nity needs strong individuals, said Joseph Beuys. Professional plan-

ners and artists, who have something substantial to say, lead

towards curiosity and real interest. Intersections then result in the

collaboration per se.

Gabriele Allendorf : The set of standards and regulations, which is

amongst other things laid out in consideration of economic aspects,

takes care that at night the citizen moves from A to B as safely as

possible. That has nothing to do with aesthetics. Surely this is an

important consideration level of artificial lighting. It however ignores

the different appearances of faades or squares. This however is

exactly the starting point of light art, which reacts to the originality

of a square or a street, generating a new distinct picture in the behol-

der. I consider it as the synergy lighting planning / light art to

curiously look as cityscapes: The perception of the special feature of

a square, the original character of a street, the beauty of an urban

district and the creation of a picture of light with artificial lighting. In

this picture, several lighting levels have an effect, not only the neces-

sary light from always identical luminaires from above, like from a

shower. There can be a fore-, middle-, and background, comparable

to the classical structure of a painting.

Daniel Kas: Especially complex, contradictory interests, which

seem to endanger a project, can also be used as energy potential.

The treatment of the contradiction sharpens the reference to reali-

ty and social relevance. A harmonious appearance is of course

agreeable, but achieves little in total. A lighting master plan is the

right instrument to structure the increasing urban illumination will.

Results of a thorough examination of the task lighting planning for

the cityscape or light art as cityscape can be capably utilized. This

integrative attitude is the more intricate, however the only way for

all those, who want to implement acceptance of valid models for a

democratic society.

Gabriele Allendorf: Considering Zurich as example, one can reali-

ze that a carefully developed lighting master plan is a gift for the city.

There is a commonly developed basic set of regulations, which clas-

sifies squares and streets, which however leaves enough scope to

deliberately design the various manifestations of the citys spaces.

As this is very important and affects all citizens every day, even con-

clusive benchmark data were reconsidered in Zurich, with private

people, shops or firms are being granted the opportunity and stimu-

lus for a common design. Lighting design / Private Public

Partnership: A jointly designed square will generate conviction and

pride in the partners and find imitators.

Medical fraternity, Dsseldorf Business Lounge of Bosch/Siemens domestic appliance, Munich


20/43

20

reflection

Michael Batz: There are plenty of bad examples, which can be

enumerated. Certainly amongst them are the design of the Main

embankment in Frankfurt, the Rhine embankment in Cologne and

the Speicherstadt in Hamburg.

Hardly any other design medium is as emotiona-

lizing as light. It is therefore even more impor-

tant, to understand lighting as a social concern.

Which good (or also bad) example for that stayed

in your mind?

Michael Batz,born in 1951 in Hanover, from 1970 to 1976 Michael Batz

studied German studies, history, philosophy, and history of

art in Mar burg / Lahn. During his studies he already began to

produce numerous theatre pieces. From 1990 to 1994 he

worked as dramaturge at the international culture factory

Kampnagel in Hamburg. Soon after be became a member

of the boar d of Lebendige Stadt Foundation and was respon-

sible for the artistic management of Theater in der

Speicherstadt as well as the HafenKulturTage. Numerous

book publications, radio plays, exhibitions, and the stage-

management of urban scenographics/ lighting concepts are

also part of his work. www.michaelbatz.de

We presently live in a time of increasing lighting

pollution. The night is more and more turned

into day with light engineering and light art

performances. Frequently artificial light actually

develops to be a strain for the human being and

the environment. When considering this back-

ground, towards which direction should lighting

planning move in the future?

Michael Batz: By giving priority to quality over quantity. The

unchecked linear increase of quantities of light and illuminance can

only be restricted by a politically enforced and privately supported

economy of emission. Starting points are for example time quotas

and district-related consent solutions. When everybody keeps to the

same rules (and luminance), nobody needs to be afraid of not being

perceived anymore. In the weighting to picture quality against

arousal of attention it must be clarified that the light of one per-

son is always also the light of others, and that in the end the over-

all picture is what counts. The more modest the use of light, the bet-

ter the chances for the picture.

Photo:MichaelBatz

Bridge over the Elbe, Hamburg


21/43


Photo:MichaelReisch

Photo:DorotheeHaering

IKB International, Luxemburg Schfflerhof, Munich

Gabriele Allendorf: One of my all-time and absolute favourites are

the old arch lamps by AEG. They are used in Munich on the major city

axes, such as Briennerstrae and Ludwigsstrae, and on historical

squares, like Knigsplatz and Karolinenplatz. When in winter the

colours are rather poor and dusk sets in early, these lamps start to

shine, initially weak, then increasingly stronger, in a bewitching

orange like gigantic, ripe tangerines, putting a spell on these pla-

ces and myself. Maybe it is this enchantment, which we lighting

designers can evoke, this be able to get involved in something,

which makes our society more sensible, more enlightened, and more

curious.

Daniel Kas,born in 1960 in Saarbrcken, between 1982 and 1990 Daniel

Kas studied architecture in Dsseldorf initially at the Polytechnic

and subsequently three years at the Academy of Arts. After com-

pleting his studies he taught at the Dsseldorf University of

Applied Sciences. He worked as project architect with RKW

Rhode Kellermann Wawrowsky, and from 1998 as free-lance

interior designer. In 2000 he became one of the managing direc-

tors at Bros fr Architektur + Stdtebau RKW with headquarters

in Dsseldorf. Since 2004 Daniel Kas is assistant professor at the

Mnster University of Applied Sciences. www.rkw-as.de

Gabriele Allendorf,born in 1956, completed her education as interior designer at

the Nuremberg Academy of Fine Arts. Since 1983 she is res-

ponsible for the production and distribution of her own lumi-

naire range, day- and artificial lighting planning as well as

light-sound installations in collaboration with musicians. In

1997 she founded light news, her own lighting design prac-

tice in Munich. For several years she has been lecturer for

lighting design at Munich Blocherer Schule and Coburg

Polytechnic. www.light-news.de

Daniel Kas: The lighting planning of the future has to avoid the

urban planning mistakes of the past. I suspect that, as in architectu-

re, the examples of lighting treatment, which are really straining for

human beings and nature, are not caused by the meanwhile large

circle of well-educated experts. The lawless zone is in many places

wide open for lighting cowboys. Many communes decide upon the

use of illumination exactly like upon urban planning in a comfortable

do it yourself procedure. Generous, sensible, and simultaneously

powerful lighting planning can be the best advertisement for predo-

minately legitimated cities of light in the future.

Gabriele Allendorf: Here, a finely co-coordinated master plan can

prove worthwhile: The more differentiated and sophisticated we

look at the application of artificial light, the more versatile, and sen-

sible we will treat it. We lighting designers also benefit from the

immense variety of luminants. Whilst in the city centre a historical,

prestigious building is illuminated with metal halide lamps, LED-

lamps are already conceivable in a side street or an adjoining

square. Last but not least a lighting planning, which is attuned with

scarce resources and moderate energy costs, will convince the

users of a reasonable application of artificial light.

Daniel Kas: I had the most fascinating experience with light during a jour-

ney to Havana. We arrived at dusk and took a taxi to the hotel. The sub-

urbs as well as the city centre were almost dark. No light axes, no neon

signs. Matt shinning, dark people sporadically emerged from the arcades

of the colonial architecture, illuminated from the headlights of the passing

cars. Policemen waved torches in order to hitch a lift. Not until the abso-

lute centre sources of light became visible: Completely unexpected, as

the strongest possible contrast, we drove into the harsh-white light-floo-

ded square at Parque Central. Here opposite the Capitolio gather the

major hotels around an ecstatically shinning stage filled with people,

where the dollar performs a Caribbean dream until late at night.


22/43

22arch

ite

ct

ure

CITY SATELLITE

Owner:

DWR-kantoor/ Waternet, Amsterdam

www.waternet.nl

Architect:

Architectuurstudio Herman Hertzberger,

Amsterdam. Entwurfsteam: Herman

Hertzberger, Cor Kruter, Laurens Jan ten

Kate (Projektarchitekt), Tom Bergevoet,

Laurens Cobben, Tjeerd van de Sandt,

Arinne Matser, Kim de Man, Henk de

Weijer; www.hertzberger.nl

Statics:

Royal Haskoning, Nijmegen

www.royalhaskoning.com

Location:

Spaklerweg 16, Amsterdam

Photos:

Duccio Malagamba fotografa de

arquitectura S.L., Barelona

www.ducciomalagamba.com

Standing on the Blauwbrug bridge in Amsterdams historic district, the

headquarters of the recently merged Waternet water corporation is

perceptible in the distance. The Dubbeltoren, designed by the

Architectuurstudio Herman Hertzberger, subtly react to the location and

offer an exclusive view across the suppliers sovereign water territory.

By Thomas Geuder

architecture


23/43


A vertical slit of sight createdbetween both towers of the

Dutch Waternet water corporati-

on opens up a cutout to the

hinterland.


24/43

24

The division of the floor areas in

two towers and the wave-like

faade formation let the office

complex appear less massive in

comparison to usual office blocks.

architecture


25/43


Parallel to the faade, the suspen-

ded ceilings are terminated with

continuous lighting lines. At dark

they emphasize the round building

form as well as the faades

horizontal accentuation.

Left page:

By night, when the building seems to

turn itself inside out, the diagonal

load-bearing structure becomes

visible.

Special urban planning parameters

define the exterior building form of

the Dubbeltoren, the double tower:

One visual axis stretches from

Amsterdams historic district along

the Amstel, the second one runs

parallel to the busy road

President Kennedylaan.


26/43

26

The ninth and tenth floor accommo-

date the common Place of

Encounter with caf, canteen, diffe-

rent meeting rooms and the forum,

the large conference hall. TRILUX-

downlights provide the appropriate

ambience.

The column-free structure allows the

free division of interior spaces;

workspaces can be arranged in

clusters. The offices are illuminated

with the series 369 by TRILUX. Photo:HermanH.vanDoornGKf

architecture


27/43


The calm individual offices are loca-

ted between the inner service block

and the straight exterior faade.

Glass partition walls ensure spatial

transparency.

From the footbridge, which connec-

ts the ninth and tenth floor in both

towers with the semi-public plaza,

the beholder can enjoy a superb

view across Amsterdam.


28/43

28

Who has ever been in the Dutch capital Amsterdam will willingly

remember the idyllic old town with its canals, which are 80 kilometres

in total, spanned by about 1300 bridges and lined by innumerable

houseboats. An important link in the canal network is the river, which

has given its name to the city: the Amstel. In the centre it runs from

the Blauwbrug, the Blue Bridge, transverse to the canals upstream

towards the Industrieterrein Amstel situated south-east of the old

town. Since recently the river points towards the new office building

of the Dutch Waternet water corporation that has been created in

early 2006 by the merger of the municipal waterworks

(Waterleidingbedrijf Amsterdam) and the supply and waste water ser-

vice corporation DWR (Dienst Waterbeheer en Riolering). The corpo-

ration has established their headquarters with a panoramic view

across the city and almost their entire service area.

A particular building in a particular location requires an extraordinary

line of approach-

and an extraordinary architect; with these words

Roelof Kruize, director general at Waternet, describes the result of

the architectural competition, to which seven architects had been

invited. The Amsterdam practice of Herman Hertzberger proposed a

convincing solution, which is first of all characterized by its response

to the sites urban planning parameters: The designated site is

located at an almost right-angled bend of the river Amstel; in this

location a single, massive office block would have sensitively disturb

the view to the Amsterdam hinterland. In order to nevertheless realize

the required office floor area of 28500 square metres for approxi-

mately 1000 employees, Hertzberger divided the room programme

and conceived two 50-metre high towers. Some kind of sight slit is

produced between the towers, which is optically further widened by

the wave-formed faade. Transverse to the viewing direction a

second visual axis penetrates the twin towers parallel to the Amstel,

forming an extension of the busy road President Kennedylaan.

A striking feature in the faade of the Dubbeltoren is a two-storied

glass joint stretching across both buildings and a glazed bridge bet-

ween the towers. In addition to the vertical sight slit, Hertzberger

interprets the horizontal space located behind this glass joint as the

second component of his open space concept: Here on the ninth and

tenth floor a Place of Encounter has been generated, a kind of Plaza

with bar, canteen, a forum (large conference hall) and a few meeting

Ground floor plan

architecture


29/43


rooms, which are partially located on the mezzanine level.

Hertzberger deliberately avoids the usual positioning of these func-

tional rooms on the ground floor, instead moving them to the upper

levels due to the wonderful view across Amsterdam and the surroun-

ding region. With this move Hertzberger wants to express his reser-

vations against internal hierarchies; therefore the great conference

hall is located on eye-level with the staff canteen.

The structure of both towers is based on a simple principle: The

floor slabs span column-free between a concrete core, the service

block, and an exterior load-bearing steel structure with a sus-

pended faade, which consists of a net of diagonal columns with a

nodal point on every third floor. This structure offers the advantage,

that it accepts vertical and simultaneously horizontal loads. Wind

loads are therefore directly transferred into the foundations and

need not be initially redirected via stiffened walls. Even in the case

of failure of a column element due to a catastrophe, the structure

remains stable.

The column-free quality of the interior allows an arbitrary example

of the office areas. Herman Hertzberger thereby represents a

design principle, which breaks with the traditional cell structure (as

they have already done in the Centraal Beheer office complex in

Apeldoorn in 1972), in favour of an open system from interlinked

zones with multiple functions. Hertzberger divides the storeys in

two areas: Quiet workplaces are located between the service block

and the straight faade; in the open area between the core and the

wave-formed faade the workplaces can be grouped in clusters if

required. The office spaces are illuminated by a combined system

of indirect ceiling lighting positioned at a 2-metre distance to the

faade (which lets the buildings interior shine at night, therefore

eliminating the exterior lighting) and direct -indirect radiating ceiling

luminaires, which are especially suitable for workstations. Circular

built-in lights with a radial mirror grid provide a homogeneous

lighting on the common level. Natural light is regulated with the

formation of continuous windows: Their height seems to be orien-

tated by the faades curvature. However, they actually enlarge

with the rooms depth, thereby providing an even illumination

according to the democratic principle running through the entire

design like a main thread.

Ninth floor plan, Place of Encounter Longitudinal section


30/43

TRILUX

30 TRIL

UX

Photo:A

uler-Licht-Kabel,Saarbrcken

The winner of May was the

company Auler-Licht-Kabel from

Saarbrcken. Their photo shows

the main conference hall inside the

conference building of the Saarland

broadcasting company. Its sloping

ceiling was a particular challenge

for the lighting designers.

Dont be shy! We want anyone who enjoys photography to join in the

search for sophisticated and unique lighting situations. We would

like the photos to show motifs that, in line with our company philo-

sophy, use modern concepts to enhance light so that it not only

improves living and working conditions but also has a positive effect

on peoples health, comfort and mood light as emotion and fasci-

nation. The aim of the competition is to discover a wide range of

impressive and lively lighting environments with TRILUX products.

Every month, from May to December 2006, each participant can

enter up to ten digital photos on our website at www.tr ilux.de/ ima-

ges. Entries sent by post will not be included. An interdisciplinary

jury will select a photo every month that matches our slogan A life

in light. The monthly winners, who will also be entered automati-

cally in a draw at the end of the year, will be announced each month

on the Internet. The tempting monthly prize is a rental car voucher

worth 250 Euros from Sixt. The winner of the main prize will recei-

ve a modern home entertainment centre.

A LIFE IN LIGHT

This is the universal and wide-reaching slogan

already used by TRILUX at the light+building

2006 exhibition. Now TRILUX is looking for

attractive lighting solutions to match the same

slogan in a photographic competition- lighting

that is an experience for the senses.


31/43


In Europe, not only are the traffic regulations largely the same in all

countries, but since November 2003 the minimum requirements for

street lighting have also been standardised. The standard series EN 13

201 comprises four parts, which specify selection of lighting class,

quality standards, how to calculate these and suitable methods of

measurement.

In order to make implementation of the new standard more easy for

planners, last year TRILUX launched its new software TX-WINstreet

and a planning aid Light for Europes roads. The clearly designed bro-

chure first covers the technical lighting requirements for street lighting

with regard to light intensity, lighting strength, dazzle limitation and

colour reproduction. Numerous straightforward tables over the follow-

ing pages assist the user with selection of lighting class according to

the traffic situation and frequency, the expected risk of criminality and

any visual obstacles that may need to be accounted for. In street

lighting, a so-called maintenance value is to apply in future for the light

intensity on the road surface, and this must not be fallen short of at any

time. From this value and from the estimated annual lighting time, the

maintenance cycle for the lighting system can be calculated.

Information about maintenance cycles, the effect of different road sur-

faces and detailed planning instructions is provided for the user in the

third section of the planning aid. Part 4 deals mainly with technical light

planning for pedestrian and cycling areas. A bibliography with informa-

tion about the standards that have applied in the past completes the

planning aid.

Planning software TX-WINstreet can be used for planning road and path

lighting in conformity with the new DIN standard EN 13 201. The lighting

situation, lighting class and lighting data are specified by selecting cri-

teria from a menu. Changing the specifications, such as the arrange-

ment of the lights, enables the user to calculate alternatives and set out

the data for each alternative in a table. The TX-WINarea software can be

used to plan the lighting of open areas, road crossings, sports grounds

and pedestrian areas. It can also be used to calculate lighting strengths

on vertical and sloping areas in accordance with DIN EN 13 201.

The planning aid and planning software can be ordered from

[email protected] or on hotline number +491802-TRILUX (-874589);

the software can also be downloaded free of charge from www.TRI-

LUX.de/service.

NEW STANDARD: DIN EN 13201

Since November 2003, the new standard DIN EN

1302 has applied in Europe for the lighting of

streets, paths and public squares. In order make

conformity with the standard easier, TRILUX has

published a 40-page planning aid and the plan-

ning programs TX-WINstreet and TX-WINarea.


32/43

32

TRILUX

By Ernst Wauer

The extent to which the design of an environment influences the

development of criminality in our cities is a question that crops up

regularly. Attempts are made to fight criminality in advance, by taking

preventive architectural measures in urban development. People who

feel comfortable in their environment develop a sense of responsibility

for their habitat and become committed to it. Urban development, par-

ticularly in the 1960s and 70s, often resulted in cityscapes that were

characterised by their uniform look and inadequate infrastructure. A

healthy mixture of living space, work areas and leisure facilities was

often forfeited. The result is inner cities that are empty after the shops

and offices close in the evenings and an increasing tendency for resi-

dents to move out to the suburbs. This process and the associated

reduction in informal social control resulted in an increase in criminality

that induced feelings of fear amongst the population.

In many studies (including a project by the police crime unit in Essen

entitled Heeme) a link has been ascertained between criminality and

types of urban development. Although no monocausal connection can

be ascertained, as is often the case in criminology, the architectural

design of residential areas definitely has an influence on facts like

victim fear, offence opportunity structure, the degree of risk of dis-

covery, and communication between people. This all has an effect on

the people living in this environment and lays down a decisive frame-

work for the process of socialising young people. Criminality often

occurs when the social context is characterised by loneliness, and lack

of attachment and orientation, and when very little social control takes

place. Urban planner Gary Lawrence from Seattle asked in a talk he

gave at the University of Essen in 1998: What makes people happy?.

His answer made it clear that a positive environment (living area) plays

an important role, and this includes design aspects too. Experience in

this field has shown that peoples perception and interests are always

focussed on a small area. In this connection, urbanity means atmos-

phere, comfort, urban aesthetics and, in particular, safety, because

safety means quality of life. Our feeling of safety determines our levels

of daily fear and consequently our well-being. The objective safety

situation is only of secondary importance here. A great many studies

have shown that a place of fear comes into being as a result of one

or more of these characteristics:

There is no formal or informal social control by a lively environment

(neighbourhood involvement)

LIGHT AND CRIME PREVENTIONThe importance of an intact living environ-

ment in the prevention of criminal offences is

often underestimated. However, lighting

plays an important role here alongside many

other factors.

There are unmanageable, unclear areas with corners that cannot be

seen into.

The plants at the edges of pavements and paths are too high and

provide opportunities for people to hide or attack.

There is inadequate or faulty lighting or none at all, dark-coloured

walls reduce the basic levels of light.

There are dark zones in the direct surroundings

Orientation aids are inadequate.

In typically unsafe areas, like underground car parks, there are no

technical safety systems (emergency call intercoms, video

cameras).

Buildings are not used on the ground floor, e.g. when shops are not

occupied.

Outside areas are run-down.

Eliminating only one of the characteristics listed above is not sufficient.

In particular, none of these characteristics should determine the cha-

racter of an area. The following applies for public areas: not only a real

danger, but also a potential danger is enough to generate feelings of

fear and consequently places of fear. These theoretical basics are

the starting-point for the development of different concepts for crime

prevention.

Anonymous housing estates hotbed of criminality?

The architectural structure of a living environment is a significantly

influential factor in criminality. This is because it has a direct influence

on scene of the crime structures in that it can potentially offer suitable

opportunities for crime and either encourage or hinder acts of crime.

In addition, it determines the degree of informal social control (neigh-

bourhood involvement) and consequently how safe people feel. Also, it

is in the living environment that a disposition towards criminal beha-

viour can develop.

International studies have shown that large blocks of flats in particular

often have high levels of criminality. Especially tower-like blocks with a

height of more than seven storeys are often distributed haphazardly

across large pieces of land and not well structured. The public areas

of roads and open spaces often drift over into the private accommo-

dation units. Halls, corridors and lifts are not regarded as semi-public

or semi-private access areas or thoroughfares that are really only

intended for inhabitants, their friends and other authorised individuals

Right page:

Even minimal lighting can inspire a

feeling of safety in public areas and

significantly reduce the risk of

criminality.


33/43


to enter and pass through. The same phenomenon occurs with green

areas in housing estates of this kind that are not divided up into func-

tional areas and neither therefore defined as being semi-public or

semi-private. The result is that informal control in these areas is signi-

ficantly diminished. So what is needed here is to extend private areas

beyond the flats in order to show potential criminals that these areas

are subject to informal control and that they are therefore more likely

to be discovered there. In this connection, it is also very important for

corridors, entrance areas, green areas and underground car parks to

be well lit and secure.

There are two basic principles that come foremost in urban develop-

ment and architecture designed to prevent criminality. The first is that

a feeling of belonging should be encouraged among residents. People

who are interested in their surroundings and identify with them tend to

develop a social feeling of togetherness. As a result, informal social

control also develops: it becomes difficult for offenders to commit a

crime without being seen.

The second is that the concept of so-called defensible space can be

assumed. This means that the way living space and the surroundings

are divided up should make it clear where the semi-public and semi-

private areas actually are. Semi-public areas are demarcated by sym-

bolic barriers that separate them off from the public areas, for exam-

ple by using different coloured paving slabs on public footpaths and

the entrance areas of a block of flats.

The limits for changes of this kind can be established from the degree

to which residents accept these measures. In order for the necessary

preventive effect to develop, projects must be accepted: simply impo-

sing theoretically constructive and carefully thought-out measures is

not very successful and can even have the opposite effect. Particularly

in residential areas where large numbers of people live, social struc-

tures and activities tend already to be firmly established and auto-

nomous. In cases like this, what is needed are crime prevention com-

mittees that must attempt to break down these structures carefully in

order to introduce change.

Modernisation of street lighting an investigation

Lighting conditions are very important to people, particularly in relation

to how they evaluate quality of life and of homes and how safe they feel

in a place. For this reason, the lighting of residential streets is also of

great interest with relation to urban crime prevention measures.

Whether and to what degree modernised street lighting is actually

assessed as positive by the residents of an area was investigated by

the Department for Crime Prevention at the Urban Criminal Prevention

Sector of the police in Essen, using the example of a small residential

street in Essen. A resident here had notified the police of the fact that

he found the street lighting inadequate. The lighting was assessed and

criminal statistics of the surrounding area investigated. It was found

that parts of the street, particularly in areas where the buildings were

widely spaced, were indeed not adequately lit from a point of view of

crime prevention. In addition, it was found that there were significant-

ly high numbers of break-ins to buildings and cars. Although most of

the buildings affected were shops, this must certainly have had a

negative effect on the way inhabitants of the area felt about their

safety. Just a few weeks later the street lighting was modernised and

the old type of white lights used until this point (cone-shaped lamps)

replaced with modern lamps with a sodium vapour tubes, which give

out orange light. The same lampposts were kept, which reduced the

cost of the conversion considerably. Immediately after this measure

had been taken, a questionnaire was distributed among residents. The

aim was to find out how they assessed the change itself, and find out

more about how residents felt about their personal safety and fear

factors in their residential area. Particular attention was paid to a

before-and-after comparison. The survey, in which 53.7 percent of

residents took part, revealed that they place great value on living in

safe surroundings. On the whole, residents seemed to feel safer in

their own street than in the rest of the area. With the changes made

to the lighting, this feeling was apparently intensified successfully. The

modernisation was also welcomed by most of the residents for

aesthetic reasons. Interestingly, most of the residents had not

previously been aware of the need for better street lighting, but in

retrospect appreciated it very much. This effect of residents being

accustomed to poor lighting conditions should be taken into account

in future in the planning of similar measures.

Ernst Wauer, Bachelor of Public Administration (university of applied sciences), hasbeen with the police in the regional state of North Rhine Westphalia since 1992. He

is currently a Detective Superintendent. Since 2004 he has headed the specialist

department for Crime prevention in urban development, which operates at the inter-

face between urban planning, architecture and criminology. www.polizei-essen.de


34/43

The question for the origins of a luminaire family such as Lumega

is slightly reminiscent of the riddle with the hen and the egg: Who

was there first: the brief of the client TRILUX or the designers idea?

On one hand no product design can do without technical specifica-

tions. The demands for standardized light engineering, adequate

dimensioning as well as quick and uncomplicated maintenance were

of primary importance for Lumega. Especially the aspects of main-

tenance and durability frequently separate the wheat from the chaff

in case of exterior lights: The luminaires have to brave wind and

weather, must be robust and vandalism-proof, and do with a

minimum of care.

On the other side of the design process is (as fresh and unbiased

as possible) the designers creativity, to which Rino Bossy deliber-

ately attached primary importance when commencing his work on

Lumega: In a brainstorming procedure he developed ideas for the

form of the future lights. The hand sketches produced in this phase

are at first put aside, only to be brought back later on to support

significant decisions. A phase of intense research follows: How can

maintenance work on the luminaire be reduced, how can the

Design:

Bossy Design

www.bossy-design.de

Luminaire:

Exterior luminaire for pole head and pole

shoulder mounting.

Luminaire heads:

More than 170 versions with different per-

formance and radiation characteristics

Light sources:

High-pressure sodium and mercury

vapour lamps as well as compact

fluorescent lamps

Application fields:

Streets and crossroads, pedestrianareas, paths in parks and housing areas,

squares, car parks, open air workplaces,

factory roads, harbours and shipyards,

sports facilities, cross country ski trails

ALLROUND TOOL

Robustness, durability and a high degree of functional versatility cha-

racterize a good-quality exterior luminaire. With Lumega by TRILUX

Rino Bossy faced the challenge to develop an adequate, easily reco-

gnizable form for more than 170 product versions.

work

w

ork

von Thomas Geuder

34


35/43


Sketches:RinoBossy

/BossyDesign

The first form studies for Lumega are

hand sketches.

Right:Light-head with snap lock for

the transparent cover of the light

chamber.


36/43

36

ergonomics be improved? Solutions, which already exist on the

market, are analyzed and potential architectural developments are

anticipated. Even before the actual concept design a first qualita-

tive design strategy was determined: Lumega will be constructed

according to the three-chamber principle. One chamber serves for

the exchange of the luminant, one for the exchange of the control

gear (as compact as possible) and the third for the inclination

adjustment of the luminaire head using a scale.

During the concept design phase all general conditions and para-

meters came off the table at first. They are firmly anchored in my

mind said Rino Bossy, and give way to the generation of ideas.

New, more or less good principle solutions are generated, first

forms are perceptible. We refine, reject, and start all over again: a

balancing act between euphoria and contentment. That is good,

because euphoria pushes on and disappointment contributes to

qualitatively better solutions, explains Bossy. Paper as a medium

has now reached its limitations, I want to three-dimensionally and

haptically experience and evaluate the visions. The first models are

hand-carved from soft foam with a coarse file and a hand-milling

machine. During an internal review all models were tabled. On the

basis of product-relevant technical and theoretical cognitions

acceptable results are separated from useless variants. Important

for this product is the marketing and brand strategy: In this case

it is not about conceiving a design as simply beautiful, but to

achieve the highest possible serviceability under economic

aspects, explains Rino Bossy. From the concept designs that have

the potential to be realized, he has presentation models made at a

scale of 1:5.

Two to three months after his first concept sketch follows the pre-

sentation of concept designs to TRILUX. The numbered models are

unveiled one after the other and the strong points as well as the

risks of the single variants are discussed. The stronger the design,

the quicker decisions can be made, says Rino Bossy. TRILUX

clearly opts for one variant, which should be implemented. From

now on the optimization of details is in the fore at Bossy Design,

namely criteria such as simple handling, uncomplicated manufactur-

ing, demoulding, and stiffening of the casing structure. With the

SolidWorks mechanical design software a 3-D data model is gener-

Detail sketches of luminaire head.

The sealing claps of the maintenance

chamber were deliberately marked

as functional elements; they decisive-

ly characterize the luminaires form.

Opposite page:

For the second presentation to

TRILUX various design variants forLumega were initially produced as

models at a scale of 1:5 (top left).

The completed luminaire during the

market launch at the light+building

trade fair in Frankfurt (below).

work


37/43


ated, which is modified until a basic satisfaction is achieved.

Simultaneously a full-scale HR-foam model is produced in the work-

shop. It provides most information regarding the luminaires plastic

effect. Therefore its proportions are once again transferred to the

data model after the fine-tuning. In return the HR-foam model takes

on details from the engineering drawing such as the casing divi-

sions, which are already perceptible as joints. From now on the

attention is generally directed to technical details: What can be sim-

plified? Where can existing technical solutions be applied, where

would they annul the luminaires aesthetics? Are there corners

where dirt can gather? New, acceptable solutions are generated,

which merge geometry and function in a conclusive entity. By now

the data model stands; the dimensioning is determined as well as

the structural composition (at least the principle). Before the sec-

ond presentation to TRILUX the design rests in favour of other pro-

jects. The design team puts some daylight between itself and the

existing design and starts thinking about fundamental alternatives.

The developed solutions to date are deliberately put to the final

test: Modifications are still relatively easy to realize; later on they

would be far more expensive. Furthermore the team is well worked

into the theme and has gained a maximum of insight and experience

in the previous design phases. At the end of the final thinking and

discussion process the casing surfaces are once again slightly

modified and the demoulding angle is increased in favour of a

reduced tool wear. At the concluding presentation to TRILUX a

model of the luminaire is for the first time mounted to a pole and

can thus be assessed under realistic conditions. The clients reac-

tion is positive: TRILUX gives the light concept good chances to be

successful in the market. Thereupon Bossy Design hands over the

models 3-D data to the TRILUX development department; the fur-

ther detailing and technical elaboration is carried out in close coor-

dination between the designers and product developers.

Since Lumegas market launch in March 2002, the luminaire has

been able to prove its suitability for daily use in several thousand

cases. The unity of form and function as well as the large diversity

of the luminaire family have since then not just convinced the jury

of the Design Centre North Rhine-Westphalia in Essen: In 2002 the

jury awarded the luminaire the coveted red dot Design Award.


38/43


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40/43

40

Photo:ThomasGeuder

Photo:KunstmuseumStuttgart/Gonzalez

There are different opinions as to whether the radiation of mobile

phones is harmful for the human organism. Whoever is really inte-

rested, when exactly the mobile phone transmits, should come to

Kleiner Schlossplatz in Stuttgart, right behind the art museum,

where for a few weeks the Polylit by the artist Carsten Nicolai from

Berlin has been located. Polylit is a ten-metre high crystal-like pil-

lar made from three irregular octahedrons with surfaces from plate

glass, which become bigger towards the top. During the day the

surfaces reflect the natural light with multiple refractions; at night

however, when the sun is not shinning anymore, the invisible elec-

tro-magnetic radiation of mobile transmitting sets initiates pulsating

light beams in the sculpture instead, making the interior visible

through the semi-transparent mirrors. The piece of art, herald for

the exhibition Illuminated Buildings: Architecture by Night in the Art

Museum (page 07), consists of an only 800-kilogram internal steel

structure, which is clad with glass panes weighing 1.4 tons in total.

An almost 13-ton concrete plinth invites passers-by to linger and

make telephone calls, maybe even conjures smiles in the face of the

beholder at dusk. www.kunstmuseum-stuttgart.de

RADIATION INDICATOR

With Polylit the artist and musician Carsten

Nicolai invites passers-by on Kleiner Schloss-

platz, a central square in Stuttgart, not only tohave a look, but also to participate.

Polylit on Kleiner Schlossplatz in

Stuttgart reveals its interior at night.

By day the mirrored surfaces reflect

the light, the peoples and the surro-

unding buildings.

By Thomas Geuder

art


41/43


Photos:MichaelZapf

The idea was simple and obvious: The Hamburg light artist Michael

Batz has used the Gate to the World, as the city of Hamburg has

always been entitled, as the location for a light artwork setting a

bridging symbol on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the town

twinning with Shanghai. For several months the 200 goals made

from blue fluorescent tubes decorate the citys roofs. Depending on

the location, visual relations and viewing distance, they consists of

2 to 15 meters long aluminium cross beams, to which strong, blue

shining fluorescent tubes are fastened. As many goals as possible

are interlinked at night with laser beams, thus repeatedly creating

new urban relations and lines of correspondence. The artwork aims

to stimulate fantasy and reverie, whilst simultaneously raising prin-

cipal questions regarding the citys presence and future.

Chronologically favourable, the light installation coincides with the

FIFA World Championship, which is perfectly suitable as moving

spirit and impulse for the artwork. When the festivities of the part-

nership anniversary will end on 30th September, all goals will be dis-

assembled, except ten pieces, which are supposed to find a new

home in Shanghai. www.blue-goals.de

A ROUND OF GOALS AROUND THE ALSTER

Signs of light above Hamburgs roofs: In

almost 200 locations in the Hanseatic city the

Blue Goals by the light artist Michael Batzcall attention to themselves: apposite to the

2006 FIFA World Cup.

By Jakob Schoof and Thomas Geuder

In the meantime almost 200 Blue

Goals adorn Hamburgs roofs. The

light installations, which are very

appropriate to the FIFA World Cup,

have been created on the occasion

of festivities for the 20th anniversary

of town twining with Shanghai.

The Blue Goals are based on a sim-

ple and reusable structure: They con-

sist of aluminium cross beams,

which are equipped with strong, blue

shining fluorescent tubes. The artist

personally approves all goals before

the initial operation.


42/43re

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Heinrich Kramer and architect Walter

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Documents

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