Urban nightscapes and lighting master plans. Case study of Liepāja.

Abstract

Development of modern technologies and urbanisation enable cities to provide a broad range of services even at night, which means that the nightscape is becoming more used. The goal of the study is to develop recommendations for planning the night-time outdoor space and its elements in an urban environment, with a view to improve the functional and aesthetic quality of the city, and to reduce light pollution. To achieve this goal, the authors studied theoretical materials, analysed the experience of three cities in developing lighting plans, conducted field research and made photographic records to assess various areas, compiling and creating a visual representation of the results. The city-level focus in solving night-time cityscape problems is on the drafting of lighting master plans. Using such plans, one can spur tourism and economic growth, and improve the quality of life among the locals. On the level of the city, elements such as edges, neighbourhoods, roads, landmarks, viewpoints and nodes play an important role at night. One has to identify these elements and highlight them based on the recommendations developed. The proposed development of a Liepāja city lighting plan would strengthen the city’s identity, improve the safety of the night-time use of outdoor spaces, facilitate navigation, and create aesthetically pleasing views. Furthermore, this is an opportunity to reduce light pollution and transition to sustainable solutions through the use of various smart technologies associated with lighting.