Urban Lighting: Historical Development and Contemporary Trends ; Miestų meninio apšvietimo istorinė raida ir šiuolaikinės tendencijos

Martynas

Sujets

• Art criticism
• Street light

Informations

• Publié par: vilnius_gediminas_technical_university
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 46

Extrait

VILNIUS GEDIMINAS TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY                     Martynas VALEVI Č IUS     URBAN LIGHTING: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONTEMPORARY TRENDS         Summary of Doctoral Dissertation Humanities,   History and Theory of Arts (03H), Sculpture and Architecture (H312)              

Vilnius    2010  

 

Doctoral dissertation was prepared at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University in 20052010.   Scientific Supervisor: Prof Dr Habil Konstantinas JAKOVLEVAS-MATECKIS  (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Humanities, History and Theory of Arts  03H).   The dissertation is being defended at the Council of Scientific Field of History and Theory of Arts at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University: Chairman Prof Dr Rimantas BUIVYDAS  (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Humanities, History and Theory of Arts  03H).   Members: Prof Dr Habil Jurgis BU Č AS  (Kaunas University of Technology, Humanities, History and Theory of Arts  03H),   Prof Dr Marija BURINSKIEN Ė  (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Technological Sciences, Civil Engineering  02T), Prof Dr Algimantas MA Č IULIS (Vilnius Academy of Arts, Humanities, History and Theory of Arts  03H), Prof Dr Habil Jurgis VANAGAS  (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Humanities, History and Theory of Arts  03H). Opponents: Dr Vytautas PETRUONIS  (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Humanities, History and Theory of Arts  03H), Assoc Prof Dr K ę stutis ZALECKIS (Kaunas University of Technology, Humanities, History and Theory of Arts  03H).     The dissertation will be defended at the public meeting of the Council of Scientific Field of History and Theory of Arts in the Senate Hall of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University at 1 p. m. on 2 April 2010. Address: Saul ė tekio al. 11, LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania. Tel.: [phone]; fax [phone]; e-mail: [e-mail] The summary of the doctoral dissertation was distributed on 1 March 2010. A copy of the doctoral dissertation is available for review at the Library of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (Saul ė tekio al. 14, LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania).  © Martynas Valevi č ius, 2010

 

VILNIAUS GEDIMINO TECHNIKOS UNIVERSITETAS                   Martynas VALEVI Č IUS       MIEST Ų MENINIO APVIETIMO ISTORIN Ė RAIDA IR IUOLAIKIN Ė S TENDENCIJOS         Daktaro disertacijos santrauka Humanitariniai mokslai, menotyra (03H), skulpt ū ra ir architekt ū ra (H312)            

Vilnius     2010  

   

Disertacija rengta 20052010 metais Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universitete.   Mokslinis vadovas prof. habil. dr. Konstantinas JAKOVLEVAS-MATECKIS (Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, menotyra  03H).   Disertacija ginama Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universiteto Menotyros mokslo krypties taryboje: Pirmininkas prof. dr. Rimantas BUIVYDAS  (Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, menotyra  03H).   Nariai: prof. habil. dr. Jurgis BU Č AS  (Kauno technologijos universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, menotyra  03H), prof. dr. Marija BURINSKIEN Ė  (Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universitetas, technologijos mokslai, statybos ininerija  02T), prof. dr. Algimantas MA Č IULIS (Vilniaus dail ė s akademija, humanitariniai mokslai, menotyra  03H), prof. habil. dr. Jurgis VANAGAS (Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, menotyra  03H).   Oponentai: dr. Vytautas PETRUONIS (Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, menotyra  03H), doc. dr. K ę stutis ZALECKIS  (Kauno technologijos universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, menotyra  03H).   Disertacija bus ginama vieame Menotyros mokslo krypties tarybos pos ė dyje 2010 m. balandio 2 d. 13 val. Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universiteto senato pos ė di ų sal ė je. Adresas: Saul ė tekio al. 11, LT-10223 Vilnius, Lietuva. Tel.: [phone]; faksas (8 5) 270 0112; el. patas [e-mail] Disertacijos santrauka isiuntin ė ta 2010 m. kovo 1 d. Disertacij ą  galima peri ū r ė ti Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universiteto bibliotekoje (Saul ė tekio al. 14, LT-10223 Vilnius, Lietuva). VGTU leidyklos Technika 1731-M mokslo literat ū ros knyga.    

© Martynas Valevi č ius, 2010

   

Introduction 

Research problem   light is charmingly attractive and often associated with novelty, progress, knowledge and creation. Light allows us to see a view therefore it has been of particular interest to many artists and architects since the beginning of human civilization. Usually, one or another way of application of light used to determine architecture of buildings, their orientation or details. Artists of different epochs were looking for their own, special relationship with light, and success of a piece of art depended on the artists ability to master light. Contemporary life, especially in cities, is being more and more lived at night, as many people nowadays work, travel, communicate, have fun and rest exclusively at late hours. The dark time of the day gets by far longer in autumn and winter season. Every object at night is perceived only when it is enlightened, and this points not only to the utilitarian human needs (such as safety, orientation in space, etc.), but also to certain visual possibilities, available when one can control the light  illuminating the environment so that its values would be stressed out, even those which may not be revealed in daylight. Aesthetics and artistic significance of artificial lighting in a city, its influence on perception of architectural environment have not so far been fully explored. Very few architects see the real value in lighting as a means for creation, being able to form or remodel the image of certain architectural environment. Moreover, the technical progress has been developing most rapidly therefore illuminated parts of towns must be reevaluated considering the transformed aesthetical, ecological, economic and functional requirements being raised to environment today. Unfortunately, the applied lighting norms and standards cannot solve the issues of urban artistic lighting. Nor urban artistic lighting development research, neither trend analysis has been performed so far in Lithuania. At present, Lithuania has no scientific  methodological base developed for evaluation and formation of the illumination aesthetics. It also has failed to prepare any visual nightscape image strategy, neither artistic illumination planning and designing principles, nor artistic illumination plans for Lithuanian towns have been prepared.

Topicality of the research  i n increasing the aesthetic and humanization quality of cities, strengthening competition for their position in the region, urban artistic values become more and more important. In order to achieve higher aesthetic value of a city image after dark  and dark periods of the day are gaining more significance within the urban life rhythm (due to tourism,

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entertainment, retail, leisure, etc.),  the city artistic lighting study should be performed. Based on such study results, urban lighting plans should be prepared to solve the pending aesthetic and technical issues. So far, not a single town in Lithuania has its artistic lighting plan being prepared, whereas in foreign countries such plans appeared more than 20 years ago (e.g. in Paris, London, Vienna, etc.). Illumination design problems have become especially urgent in current stage of development of Lithuanian towns, as reconstruction of their old towns or historical suburbs is taking place, new residential districts appear and high- rise building blocks are erected. Therefore the research work introducing the issues of night urban lighting covering its aesthetical and emerging new technological possibilities is of extreme urgency. The topicality of the subject has been also confirmed by articles and monographs published by famous foreign scholars and experts, annually held international scientific conferences and working seminars, as well as lighting specialists creative and professional organizations (associations).

The object of the research and the aim of the research   T he subject of this scientific research is urban artistic lighting, analyzed herein as a means for highlighting the urban and architectural features and aimed at evaluation of aesthetic qualities of the nightscape depending on its illumination.   Aesthetic (application and keeping to the beauty criteria) illumination development, contemporary trends and their influences on the nightscape formation is under analysis in the present work. Any psychological, physiological, ecological, economical, different technological and any other aspects are analyzed only in so far as they are related to the field of art criticism. The development analysis covers the entire history of human kind with the main focus being made on the period starting with electricity invention and spread of lighting, i. e. from the second half of the 19 th century till nowadays, in foreign, as well as Lithuanian practice.

The task of the work   The task of the present work is analyses the historical development of urban artistic lighting and contemporary trends, as well as defining certain planning and design principles for urban artistic lighting. To achieve such goal, the following tasks have been tackled in the present work: 1. Defining the urban artistic lighting concept and disclosing its constituent elements.

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2. Study the historical development of urban artistic lighting. 3. Identifying the key factors affecting the urban lighting development. 4. Naming the key contemporary urban artistic lighting trends. 5. Formation of the planning and design principles for urban artistic lighting applicable in our country. Methodology of research   The present work should be ascribed to the interdisciplinary research area. In analyzing the development of urban artistic lighting, the method of historical analysis is applied. With the method of comparative analysis being applied, features common to Lithuanian and foreign urban illumination are established confirming their akin origins, as well as the development peculiarities and differences named to reveal the distinctive features in artistic lighting development within different regions. Exterior field tests have been performed on a case by case basis as selected by the author. Visual evaluation of the environment and exterior photo fixation have been performed, selected respondents interviewed. The entire research has been implemented by the way of inductive analysis with the subject exploration started with separate facts and going to the summarizing conclusions. Scientific novelty of the work and its practical value The following innovative results have been obtained in the process of preparation of the present research: 1. The urban artistic lighting concept defined. 2. The urban artistic lighting typology formed. 3. The urban artistic lighting development explored in the light of art criticism and architecturology. 4. The contemporary urban artistic lighting trends and key factors influencing their development identified. 5. The planning and design principles for urban artistic lighting formulated; based on such principles, the recommendation proposals for preparation of urban artistic illumination master planning have been presented. The obtained research results may be applied in making the scientific basis for evaluation and development of artistic urban lighting, as well as in preparation process of illumination plans of different Lithuanian towns. The work may be also used for educational purposes in universities, architecture, art and design schools.

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Theses to be defended 1.   The subject of artistic lighting has to be integrated into the art studies, as environment and art may be perceived not only in natural light, but also due to artificial lighting. 2.   Urban lighting not only provides for a possibility to prolong life in the city at dark, but it also can form certain nightscape giving meaningful information to urban dwellers and visitors on past and present events happening in the city. 3.   Since its birth till nowadays, artificial lighting is looked upon as an innovative and progressive phenomenon. It has been interpreted in different ways, mystified and sometimes it even obtained certain symbolic meanings. Although the origin of lighting was fairly functional at first, in some time it gained ambitions to represent the city and its architecture. 4.   Modern artistic urban lighting has been integrating new functions, such as different forms of communication, types of information and artistic expression. Artistic lighting is a universal means, capable of emphasizing and/or transforming features of architectural expression. 5.   Application of key urban artistic lighting principles could contribute to formation of even more expressive artistic image of a city, as lighting composition might give aesthetic sense to urban architecture and natural landscape characteristics of the venue. For application of such key urban artistic lighting principles and visually qualitative urban nightscape formation, the lighting plans of the city and/or its separate parts should be prepared.

Structure of the dissertation   this dissertation encompass Introduction, four chapters, Conclusions, Bibliography and List of the Authors Publications on the subject. The scope of the work is 189 pages with 217 illustrations used. 171 sources of additional literature have been used while writing this dissertation.  

1.  Concept and Typology of Urban Artistic Lighting

The first chapter of the dissertation analyzes the research coverage of urban artistic lighting issue. It reviews sources of published scientific information dealing with the urban artistic lighting subject, applicable illumination norms and standards. In western architecturology, aesthetic possibilities of lighting were noticed in the 19 th  century, immediately after electric light was introduced at international exhibitions of science and technical achievements. But up to the

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present day, not a few architects tend to underestimate the artistic possibilities of artificial lighting. Once R. Banham observed in 1967: An entire generation of architectural historians has more or less ignored one of the most sensational and, at the same time, one of the most conspicuous developments of the last century (20 th  century), and above all been totally incapable of assessing its consequences. People such authors as N. Pevsner, S. Giedion and H. R. Hitchcock have written works in the age of electricity. Yet no one of them has deemed it necessary to raise the consequences of artificial light for architecture (Banham 1967). Recently more and more attention is being paid to lighting studies. After analyzing the scientific literature in Lithuania, it was found out that the problem of urban artistic lighting was not studied precisely, although close or related scientific researches were given certain attention through some academic works. The subject of urban artistic lighting is being tackled in professional press, lots of research is promoted by illumination equipment producers. More and more vocational lighting organizations emerge that publish magazines and hold scientific conferences on lighting issues. The results of analysis of regulations applicable in Lithuania have shown that urban lighting issues have not been properly studied so far. Urban artistic lighting is made of a certain system of urban natural and anthropogenic components being appropriately illuminated, where every element is visible only when it is properly illuminated. Such constellation of lightings, which the general urban illumination system is made of, makes the systematization or classification of the lighting ways and types of illuminated objects inevitable by disclosing their essential features. Disclosure of such key features emphasizes the advantages of certain type of lighting and allows for full studying and use of its possibilities. The typology of urban lighting has not been studied in Lithuania, although the identification of illumination ways is important in both, architectural as well as urban aspects. The urban lighting typology also allows for characterizing certain lighting phenomena and objects, identifying their advantages and differences, getting introduced to the new phenomena and analyzing their opportunities. The typology of lighting itself may be dynamic and continuously updated.

2.  Historical Development of Urban Artistic Lighting

The second chapter of the dissertation presents the development of urban artistic lighting (with the raise of the artificial light up to the second half of the 20 th century) and aspects of its role within the general cultural context, also by

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making parallels of lighting development in architecture and the areas of art, cinema, advertising, etc. Although the phenomena of light within the period under analysis was associated with many esoteric and psychological meanings, the dissertation has not aimed at disclosing them, but rather attempted to emphasize the artistic influence of artificial lighting on city ensembles, architectural and engineering objects without touching the issues of natural sunlight. The research on historical urban artistic lighting development is started with the period of emergence of artificial lighting; more focus is given on street illumination development and search for new ways and means of illumination. Types of gas, kerosene and electric-lamp illumination are distinguished. Further, the influence of artistic ideas on urban lighting is disclosed with special emphasis on French, Italian, Russian, German and Lithuanian th inventions. Based on this, the urban lighting from the beginning of the 20   century influenced by different artistic concepts is called the urban artistic lighting. Besides, the development of urban artistic lighting of the 20 th century is often associated with new technological possibilities, due to which the construction of high-rise buildings started. The urban artistic lighting is also associated with rudiments of the Style of Modern.

3.  Contemporary Artistic Lighting Trends Abroad and in Lithuania

The third dissertation chapter analyzes the contemporary trends in urban lighting and architecture illumination, noticing that recently artistic illumination aspect has been given more and more attention. The contemporary trends are also distinguished by the search for new aesthetic expression possibilities and ingenious solutions, as well as development of new artistic lighting technologies and orientation of such technologies in the interactive direction. Nowadays, urban artistic lighting requires more and more personal interpretation by the observer, as more often other (symbolic) meanings of lighting are being created. The contemporary foreign as well as Lithuanian trends of urban artistic lighting are disclosed in the chapter starting with artistic lighting trends of urban planned spatial structures comprised of the following aspects: highlighting an urban structure, emphasizing special objects within a town and future urban lighting. The chapter further presents the illumination trends of urban architectural and engineering objects with two main groups being distinguished: traditional and those generating a new artistic quality. The traditional ones sometimes are also referred to as the associative, where the illumination stresses out the tectonics of the object and repeats the usual, seen

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in a daylight building image as archetype. This illumination trend is most common as artistic lighting of historical and cultural heritage objects. The trend of new artistic quality creation or alternative urban artistic lighting group is comprised of illumination solutions attempting at creating entirely new, different image of one or another building. In such cases, the archetype of the object does not exist, the entirely new, contra-image of an object is created by the illumination means. Such lighting trends of new artistic quality are also divided into several subgroups: media trends (where the object illumination is changing, interactive or delivering certain information); trend of architectural object as an illuminator (where the building may illuminate its environs itself; it performs a function of huge illuminator); and trend of colorful illumination of architectural and engineering objects (where a new image is created for an architectural or engineering object by the use of colorful lighting). The third chapter also presents the development trends of representative urban lighting. Sometimes also referred to as the festive lighting or decorative illumination, the representative lighting is temporary artificial lighting in a city installed on certain occasions only. It is designed for visual and emotional strengthening of importance of one or another occasion. The representative urban lighting is comprised of three groups: lighting events (lighting performances, fireworks, etc.), representative decoration of certain objects in the town (streets, architectural and engineering objects, etc.) and design and art objects within the urban architectural environs (lighting installations, etc.). Finally, the chapter analyzes the urban artistic lighting trends in Lithuania.

4.  Planning and Design Principles of Urban Artistic Lighting

The fourth chapter of the dissertation presents an analysis on urban artistic lighting planning and design principles. As traditional planning and designing practice encompasses two aspects, that of planned urban spatial structures and creation of volumetric objects, the analogous structure is applied to urban artistic lighting as well. It must also be compatible to dispersion of artificial light. So, two groups may be distinguished accordingly: that of illumination planning for urban spatial structure ensembles (corresponding to relatively horizontal surfaces) and artistic illumination planning for architectural and engineering objects (corresponding to relatively vertical surfaces). Planning of urban artistic lighting, sometimes also referred to as the urbanism of light, should solve the issues of artistic illumination of urban structure spaces, whereas the architectural and engineering objects artistic lighting design is named the architectural lighting and should solve the illumination issues of specific architectural volumetric forms. Both types of

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