Cities Alive: Rethinking the Shades of Night looks at the role of light in creating human-centred urban night-time environments.
The report emphasises a more context-sensitive design approach and a holistic integration of lighting infrastructure into the urban fabric.
It explores the future of cities at night, analysing existing research and future trends. The report focuses on the human factor and ways to enhance the experience and use of public space during the hours of darkness.
The benefits of an integrated lighting design approach, that goes beyond lighting as a functional add-on for safety or beautification, are highlighted. This approach can help create vibrant, prosperous, safe and inclusive places for those who live, work and play in cities – at all hours. Night-time design has to take a more prominent role in the planning and design of cities and urban environments.
Cities Alive: Rethinking the Shades of Night is a product of collaboration between the Foresight + Research + Innovation and Lighting teams at Arup. It involved a wide range of internal and external experts.